Ukraine has moved a step closer to eventual membership of the European Union after formally opening its first accession negotiations cluster with Brussels, a milestone both Kyiv and EU leaders described as historic amid the continuing Russia-Ukraine conflict. The negotiations, launched during the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union, focus on the so-called “Fundamentals” cluster, which covers core EU principles including the rule of law, democratic institutions, judicial reform, public administration standards and economic governance.
