The permanent representatives of the 27 countries of the European Union in Brussels has reached an agreement in principle on the negotiating framework for the start of accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, which will start on June 25, the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU announced last night, as quoted by DPA and BTA.
"The permanent representatives agreed in principle to the negotiating frameworks for the accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova. The Belgian Presidency will convene the first intergovernmental conferences on June 25," the announcement said. This decision must be officially confirmed at a ministerial meeting on June 21, according to France Press.
This agreement to start pre-accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova is an important sign, especially for Kyiv, DPA notes.
It comes just a day before the Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland, where Kiev is seeking to garner wider international support for the Ukrainian peace plan, expressed in the formula proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The decision to start negotiations is taken by the European Council. Before that, the EU Council must approve the framework for future negotiations.