Hungary and Bulgaria have again pushed to remove language emphasizing the urgency of Ukraine's EU membership bid from draft summit conclusions. The latest draft, dated Oct. 13, omits the phrase "as soon as possible" regarding the opening of remaining enlargement clusters.
Hungary and Bulgaria's repeated efforts to slow the pace of Ukraine's EU accession process signal ongoing challenges and potential delays in Kyiv's path to joining the bloc, impacting geopolitical dynamics and future bloc expansion.
Draft conclusions for an upcoming EU leaders summit have been altered to remove language emphasizing the urgency of Ukraine's membership bid, following pressure from Hungary and Bulgaria. The latest draft, dated Oct. 14, no longer includes the phrase "as soon as possible" in relation to opening the remaining enlargement clusters for Ukraine. This marks a repeat of a similar effort led by Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar in June. The change was justified by the two nations as a means to maintain consistency with previous summit conclusions. The draft also saw modifications concerning Moldova's accession process, references to Black Sea vessel attacks, the return of deported children, and Ukraine's financing.
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