The European Union has officially begun the accession process for Ukraine and Moldova, marking a major step toward potential membership.

The move requires both countries to undertake extensive political and legal reforms over several years while aligning with EU standards, with Ukraine continuing the process amid its ongoing war with Russia.

EU officials and Ukrainian leaders described the start of negotiations as a “major milestone,” though concerns remain within the bloc about Ukraine’s readiness, corruption risks, and the impact of the conflict.

Several policy “clusters” were opened covering areas such as rule of law, justice, public procurement, and financial control, which are central to EU membership requirements, Al-Jazeera has reported.

While some EU countries support accelerating Ukraine’s path for security reasons, others insist the process must remain merit-based and lead only to full membership.