Denmark has pledged to push forward Ukraine’s EU membership efforts when it assumes the presidency of the European Council on July 1, despite Hungary’s

continued opposition.

European Affairs Minister Marie Bjerre emphasized Copenhagen's commitment to both supporting Kyiv and pressuring Budapest to lift its veto. “Hungary is blocking, unfortunately, but we are doing everything we can to maintain momentum on Ukraine’s reform path,” she said during a press conference in Copenhagen.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán remains firmly against Ukraine’s accession, arguing it would harm Hungarian farmers and the national economy. He has also resisted NATO and EU support for Ukraine.

Nonetheless, Ukraine has made significant progress on required reforms and is prepared to accelerate negotiations. “Once we open the negotiation chapters, we’ll be ready to close them quickly,” Bjerre noted.

In addition to Ukraine, Denmark will prioritize securing a consensus on the EU’s 2040 climate targets during its presidency. The European Commission is set to propose a legally binding goal in July to cut emissions by 90% from 1990 levels. But amid resistance from member states, the Commission is exploring alternatives—such as a lower target for domestic sectors and the use of international carbon credits. Photo by Per Palmkvist Knudsen, Wikimedia commons.