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Friedrich Merz has called for the opening of the first negotiation cluster in Ukraine’s EU accession process, emphasizing that bilateral issues with Hungary should not block the country’s progress toward membership in the European Union.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Berlin with Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar, Merz said Germany understands Budapest’s concerns regarding the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine.
However, he stressed that such disputes must be addressed separately and should not delay Ukraine’s broader EU integration agenda.
“These discussions should not come at the expense of European support and should not distract us from the goal of opening the first negotiation cluster with Ukraine,” Merz said.
His remarks effectively reinforce calls within the EU to move forward with the practical stage of accession talks, despite ongoing disagreements between Kyiv and Budapest.
EU membership negotiations require unanimous approval from all member states, making the process politically sensitive and often complex.
