EU advances Ukraine accession as Hungary lifts veto, paving way for Zelenskyy-Magyar meeting

The EU Council has agreed to open two more accession clusters with Ukraine after Hungary lifted its veto. That brings the number of open clusters to four out of six. The decision follows a deal on rights for Ukraine's ethnic Hungarian minority, a long-standing demand from Budapest. The agreement could also lead to the first meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar, possibly at the EU summit in Brussels this week. Diplomats are trying to arrange it, but no date has been set and the meeting is not confirmed. Hungary had blocked progress on Ukraine's education and language laws, saying they restricted minority languages in schools. The new law expands protections for eligible minority languages, including their use in school activities and the provision of translated questions in some external exams. Ukrainian remains the language of state education. Opening the clusters is a step forward, but not a guarantee of EU membership. Ukraine must complete major reforms and closing each cluster needs unanimous approval from all EU member states. Agriculture could also be a major point of contention, as some countries fear that Ukraine's farm sector could put pressure on EU farmers and their subsidies.