LONDON, July 29. /TASS/. Hungary blocked the start of talks on two clusters of Ukraine's EU accession during technical consultations, focusing on economic and social issues, the Financial Times (FT) reported, citing sources.

According to the newspaper, Budapest delayed the opening of the second and third clusters, which cover single market integration and the expansion of economic and social policies. In this situation, EU officials believe that securing Hungary's support will require "political leverage."

Furthermore, Budapest opposes Ukraine's fast-tracked accession to the bloc. An unnamed Hungarian official stated that Kiev "should not receive more favorable treatment" than Western Balkan candidates who have been striving for years to meet EU requirements.

The EU accession negotiation process comprises 33 chapters, which are grouped into six clusters. The launch of negotiations sets no timeframe and guarantees no EU membership. For instance, Montenegro, which could join the EU next year, has been negotiating for 14 years. Turkey, which stands virtually no chance of joining, formally remains a candidate and has been in accession talks for nearly 21 years.