Ukraine advances EU accession with second negotiating cluster opening

Ukraine is advancing its accession process to the European Union, with the formal opening of the second negotiating cluster, “External Relations,” in July 2026. As of September 2026, two of the six negotiating clusters and seven of the 33 chapters have been opened.

Slovenia has expressed support for opening all EU negotiation clusters for Ukraine by the end of 2026. Slovenian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tone Kaiser emphasized that while the EU should assist with necessary changes, Ukraine must comply with the rules required of candidate countries. Kaiser noted that EU enlargement serves as a strategic security measure against Russian aggression.

Despite progress in some areas, the pace of accession is heavily influenced by rule-of-law reforms. Reports indicate that progress on these commitments remains slow, with only one of ten points in the Kachka–Kos plan fully completed. Additionally, the delivery of certain EU financing tracks remains conditional on the successful implementation of these reforms.