Senior European Union officials are pushing for the start of formal talks on Ukraine's accession to the bloc as early as next month, "Politico" reports, citing its sources, quoted by News.bg.
Ukrainian and European diplomats are actively working behind the scenes, trying to convince the Hungarian government to agree to the start of accession negotiations for Ukraine, the publication writes.
Five diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the goal is to start formal talks as early as June 25.
The start of the negotiations will strengthen the morale of Ukraine, which has been fighting a full-scale Russian invasion for more than two years and has long sought to join the EU, the publication writes.
EU leaders have given Ukraine and Moldova the green light to join the EU, but the formal legal process has been stalled by Hungary's position.
According to diplomats cited by Politico, both Brussels and Kiev are engaged in intensive bilateral diplomacy with Budapest to resolve the problems of the Hungarian minorities in Ukraine.
After the April negotiations between the head of the office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Peter Szijjártó "the parties noted the positive dynamics of the dialogue".
One diplomat suggested that Hungary may want to resolve the issue of Ukraine's EU membership negotiations before taking over the six-month presidency of the EU Council in July.