The European Union and Ukraine opened the first cluster of accession negotiations on 18 June 2026, covering fundamental reforms in rule of law, judiciary, public administration, and economic criteria. The so-called 'fundamentals' cluster includes chapters on judiciary and fundamental rights, justice and security, public procurement, statistics, and financial control. The EU has set interim benchmarks for the horizontal level and for the rule of law chapters, which must be met before the negotiating process can move into its concluding phase. Progress under this cluster will determine the overall pace of negotiations, as it is the first to be opened and the last to be closed. The accession is a merit-based process, with continued monitoring of alignment with EU standards.
The milestone was highlighted by Marilena Raouna, Deputy Minister for European Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, whose country holds the EU presidency. The opening follows the EU's decision to launch accession talks with Ukraine on 25 June 2024 and a statement by European Council President Costa and Commission President von der Leyen on 12 June 2026 agreeing to open the first cluster. The negotiations are structured under the revised 2020 methodology, dividing the acquis into six thematic clusters. For Ukraine, this step represents a strategic investment in a stronger and more secure Europe, while requiring sustained commitment to reforms.
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