Ukraine's Cluster 1 EU Accession Vote Delayed to June 16 — All Six Clusters Targeted for One Month

Despite earlier expectations, no formal vote was held on May 26 to open Cluster 1 ('Fundamentals') of Ukraine's EU accession negotiations. Ukraine's Deputy PM Taras Kachka publicly called for all six negotiating clusters to be opened by June, stating that Ukraine is 'already behind the deadline' for the fastest accession process in EU history. Croatia's EU minister reaffirmed Croatia's position that Ukraine is 'more than ready' to open the first cluster and backed a June timeline. A concrete schedule emerged: the European Commission will formally propose opening Cluster 1 at the General Affairs Council on June 16, 2026, with EU leaders expected to endorse this at the European Council on June 18-19. Hungary's new Foreign Minister signalled Budapest 'will not block anything,' removing the last political veto obstacle from the Orbán era.