According to her, this effectively marks the transition to the next stage of these countries’ integration into the EU.
“In the coming days, we will open the first cluster of negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. This essentially opens the door to the next stage of the accession process—the official start of negotiations. And I don’t need to tell you that the Commission is ready to fully support Ukraine on its path to our European Union, where it belongs,” said the President of the European Commission.
Ursula von der Leyen reiterated her support for Ukraine:
“We are providing unwavering support to our courageous neighbor, partner, and future member of the European Union—Ukraine. Yesterday, we allocated nearly 3 billion euros from the Ukraine Facility. And later this month, we will make the first disbursement under our 90-billion-euro loan to Ukraine. Thus, by the end of the month, we will have provided Ukraine with 6 billion euros for drones and more than 3 billion euros in macro-financial assistance. And, of course, new disbursements will follow shortly,” she stated.
In conclusion, she expressed her admiration for “our Ukrainian friends and their unwavering determination to belong to our European Union.”
The first cluster is the most important and a top priority. It concerns the rule of law, human rights, and good governance. According to EU rules, it is opened first and closed last. Without progress in this area, negotiations on the remaining chapters (economy, transport, environment, etc.) will not move forward.
