What does 'foreign relations' mean in Ukraine's EU accession talks?

Negotiations to ensure Ukraine's foreign, security, and trade policies align with EU standards—one of the core chapters.

Why did Hungary previously block the negotiations?

The Orban government prioritized relations with Russia and opposed strong support for Ukraine, leading to the veto.

How long will the accession process take?

All 33 chapters must be closed; typically takes several years to over a decade, depending on reform progress.

Ukraine's EU Accession Makes Progress as New Round of Talks Focuses on Foreign Relations

Published Jul 14, 2026 10:32 PM ・ Updated Jul 15, 2026 4:50 AM ・ 6 min read ・ Source: CNA (Central News Agency)

Ukraine and the European Union formally launched negotiations on the 'foreign relations' chapter of EU accession on June 14, 2024. With Hungary no longer blocking the process, all EU member states agreed in June to restart talks, marking a key milestone in aligning Ukraine's foreign, security, and defense policies with EU standards.

(Central News Agency reporter Wu Bo-wei, Brussels, June 14) Ukraine has taken another step toward joining the European Union, as both sides began negotiations on June 14 regarding the 'foreign relations' chapter. Following Hungary's decision to stop blocking Ukraine's accession, all EU member states agreed in June to resume negotiations.

According to information released by the Council of the European Union on the 14th, Ukraine's accession process has taken an 'important step forward.' Formal negotiations have now begun on the 'foreign relations' provisions under Cluster 6 of the EU accession framework. This is a core topic in the accession process, aimed at ensuring that the candidate country's international, trade, and defense policies are aligned with those of the EU.

Under EU enlargement policy guidelines, Cluster 6 includes two chapters: 'External Relations' and 'Foreign, Security, and Defense Policy'.

Ireland currently holds the rotating EU presidency. Thomas Byrne, Ireland's Minister of State for European Affairs, stated that today's launch of negotiations marks a milestone on Ukraine's path to EU membership. He emphasized that it demonstrates Ukraine's determination to move forward swiftly, even amid challenging times. EU enlargement, he added, is a strategic investment that will bring peace, security, stability, and prosperity to both the EU and Ukraine.

Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, after which Ukraine immediately applied for EU membership to strengthen its security and defense capabilities against Russia.

Accession talks, originally set to begin in 2024, were long stalled due to obstruction by then-Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. However, the two-year political deadlock ended in 2026 when Peter Magyar won the parliamentary elections and assumed office as Prime Minister.

All EU member states reached an agreement on June 12 of this year to restart accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, with the first round of talks held on June 15.

According to EU rules, the accession process consists of 33 chapters grouped into six thematic clusters. Candidate countries must negotiate each chapter individually with the EU and amend their domestic laws to meet EU standards before progressing. Only after completing all negotiations can a country become a full EU member. (Editor: Tang Sheng-yang) 1150714

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Source: CNA (Central News Agency)
Category: Taiwan

Ukraine's EU Accession Makes Progress as New Round of Talks Focuses on Foreign Relations

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