Ukraine has successfully completed the assessment of its legislation’s compliance with European Union (EU) standards within Cluster 4, concerning the “Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity.” This marks the fifth of six clusters that the country has undergone screening for. This was announced on July 11 by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.
Within Cluster 4, the Ukrainian delegation demonstrated achievements in areas such as transport legislation, energy policy, trans-European networks, environmental protection, and climate change, covering over 200 EU legal acts.
The next and final Cluster 5, “Resources, Agriculture, and Cohesion Policy,” is planned to begin discussions with the European Commission in September 2025. This cluster includes topics related to agriculture, food security, fisheries, and other important aspects. Preparatory sessions are currently underway.
It is known that Ukraine has already fully prepared all necessary documents to open negotiations on three clusters: the First “Foundations of the EU Accession Process,” the Second “Internal Market,” and the Sixth “External Relations.” Additionally, three reform roadmaps in the areas of the rule of law, public administration, and the functioning of democracy have been approved, which are conditions for starting negotiations on Cluster 1. However, the opening of this cluster was blocked in June 2025 due to Hungary’s position.
By the end of 2025, according to the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, Ukraine plans to meet all the necessary requirements to open all six negotiation clusters and awaits further decisions from the EU Council.
Hungary’s Blockade of Ukraine’s EU Accession
Since early 2025, Hungary has been blocking the opening of negotiation clusters for Ukraine’s EU accession. The country’s government has stated that “Ukraine’s membership in the EU would be a burden both for the bloc and for Hungary.”
Hungary held a consultative referendum on Ukraine’s EU accession, presenting a list of so-called “7 key threats” which, according to the government, could arise from Ukraine’s EU membership. These threats include economic risks, migration, impacts on the pension system, and jobs.
Moreover, the Hungarian government sent letters to citizens urging them to express their opposition to Ukraine’s EU membership during the consultative referendum.
On June 26, 2025, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán spoke out against Ukraine’s EU accession, claiming it could lead to war on Hungarian territory. He also announced the results of the consultative referendum, in which over 2 million Hungarians participated, with 95% voting against Ukraine’s EU membership.
Despite its name, this referendum has no legal force, and its results are not binding for the government. However, Prime Minister Orbán uses the survey results as a tool of political pressure on his partners in the European Union.
The leader of Hungary’s opposition party “Tisza,” Péter Magyar, noted that only 600,000 Hungarians took part in the consultative referendum, while the total population of Hungary exceeds 9.5 million.
In Ukraine, this initiative is regarded as political manipulation. Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Olga Stefanishyna emphasized that this process is “a minor obstacle that will not prevent the start of negotiations.”