Ireland will try to open Ukraine’s last two EU accession clusters before its Council presidency ends Dec. 31, Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin said at a Dublin news conference Nov. 11.
EU Council records show negotiations are underway in four of the six areas, which group 33 chapters in the accession framework. The EU and Ukraine opened cluster 1, “Fundamentals,” on June 15, then cluster 6, “External relations,” on July 14. They opened cluster 2, “Internal market,” and cluster 3, “Competitiveness and inclusive growth,” on Oct. 13. Opening the other two would put all six areas into negotiations.
The outstanding areas are cluster 4, “Green agenda and sustainable connectivity,” and cluster 5, “Resources, agriculture and cohesion.” Three of the four clusters now open — 6, 2 and 3 — were opened while Ireland held the Council presidency. Cluster 1 opened June 15, before Ireland began its six-month term July 1. Ireland’s term runs through Dec. 31.
Ukraine formally began EU membership negotiations in June 2024. The cluster stage has advanced through separate openings rather than a single decision covering all six areas: one in June, another in July and two in October 2026. Opening a cluster would advance negotiations on the policy area it covers but would not complete Ukraine’s membership bid. The EU assesses progress on merit and will continue checking how Ukraine’s rules line up with its own.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a Nov. 11 statement on his official website that Ukraine wants all six clusters opened by the end of 2026, then aims to work toward closing negotiating chapters during Lithuania’s presidency. Martin’s statement sets a target, not confirmation that the openings have occurred. EU Council records list four open clusters, so the two openings he seeks before Dec. 31 remain prospective.
