Negotiations on the accession of Ukraine and Moldova to the European Union (EU) have officially begun in Luxembourg. The move comes two years after both countries applied for EU membership in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

Formal talks on Ukraine and Moldova’s accession to the European Union kicked off on Tuesday, in a development hailed as historic and set to bolster hopes both countries will one day become EU members despite the ongoing war in Ukraine.

In a tweet on X, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, congratulated Moldova and Ukraine on the start of EU accession negotiations.

"We congratulate Moldova and Ukraine on the start of membership negotiations. This is very good news for the people of Ukraine, Moldova, and the entire European Union. The road ahead will be challenging but full of opportunities. We wish you a successful start to negotiations," she wrote on the X.