America News Agency

People close to the negotiations said that the Commission confirmed to the EU ambassadors that Ukraine and Moldova could start formal negotiations once they had fulfilled all four and three reform steps, respectively.

For Kyiv, this concerned the fight against corruption (already fulfilled), the abolition of the oligarchy (already fulfilled) and the protection of national minorities (now fulfilled).

For Chisinau, it was about judicial reform (already fulfilled), de-oligarchization (already fulfilled) and anti-corruption (now fulfilled).

The Commission and pro-enlargement member states have been pushing for formal talks to start this month to give both countries a positive signal on the EU path.

"We think that the two countries have fulfilled all the steps. Now the decision is in the hands of the member states,” European Commission spokesperson Ana Pisonero told reporters in Brussels after the talks.

The EU's executive also told EU envoys that an Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) for Montenegro could be quickly organized “in light of the recent positive steps taken and requirements fulfilled”.

Almost all 27 member states support holding the first IGC, which would open formal negotiations, at an expected meeting of EU foreign ministers on June 25 and welcomed the European Commission's update.

But before that, EU member states need to agree on a negotiating framework for both countries, a step Hungary has been delaying for Ukraine for some time, including concerns about Kyiv's treatment of the Hungarian minority in the country.

According to some EU diplomats, Hungary doubts the Commission's assessment and requests that its concerns be included in the draft negotiating framework.

According to the letter first reported by Euractiv, a dozen EU member states made a joint initiative to advance the accession process and formally open accession negotiations by the end of June.

The Belgian EU presidency said it was working to prepare for both IGCs to be held in Luxembourg on June 25 if there is agreement among member states.

While no framework decision is expected today, EU diplomats said the issue will be discussed in internal working groups. EU ambassadors are expected to formally return on Wednesday (June 12) to discuss the issue.

Some EU member states, such as the Netherlands, must go through a report-based parliamentary procedure to get the green light to approve the next steps.