The end of the veto allows Ukraine and Moldova to formally open the first cluster of negotiations, known as fundamentals.
Hungary has lifted its two-year-long veto on Ukraine's bid to join the European Union, allowing the process to enter its next phase of negotiations and ending a political saga that sent relations between Budapest and Kyiv to an all-time low.
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The sought-after breakthrough took place suddenly on Wednesday evening during a meeting of ambassadors in Brussels, several diplomats confirmed to Euronews.
The Hungarian envoy signalled the lifting of the reservations, allowing the 27 member states to reach the necessary unanimity to take the procedural steps. A new item was added to the agenda at the last minute to seal the green light.
"This positive development sends a strong message of unity and determination," a spokesperson from Cyprus, the country that chaired the meeting, said.
Accession consists of 33 chapters split into six thematic clusters.
The first cluster, known as fundamentals because it covers the rule of law, human rights and the judiciary, is the first and last to be opened in the complex process.
For the past two years, Ukraine and Moldova, which are informally coupled as candidates, have been trying to unlock the first cluster.
But the veto imposed by former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, just as his country took the reins of the EU Council's presidency, froze the trajectory.
Since then, Brussels has been trying to get around the veto in various ways, to no avail.
The matter became personal for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who repeatedly slammed Orbán's blockage and urged leaders to take action. Zelenskyy considers accession as a security guarantee for his country's post-war future.
The change was only made possible after Orbán was roundly defeated in the polls by Péter Magyar, who promised to restore ties between Hungary and Ukraine.
In a video posted on Facebook, Magyar confirmed progress made in consultations with Kyiv over the rights of the Hungarian minority in the eastern region of Transcarpathia, the long-standing flashpoint of tensions between the two countries.
"We have reached a comprehensive agreement with Ukraine on the expansion of the linguistic, educational, cultural and political rights of the 100,000-strong Hungarian minority," Magyar told his followers.
The commitments, which were not detailed, will be reflected in the action plan that Ukraine has sent to Brussels as part of its membership bid, he said.
Magyar noted that he remained opposed to fast-tracked accession, a view widely shared by other member states wary of endangering the integrity of enlargement.
"If Ukraine manages to close all 33 accession chapters within 10 or 15 years, our country will hold a legally binding referendum on the issue," Magyar said.
There was no immediate reaction from the Ukrainian side.
Marta Kos, the European Commissioner for Enlargement, celebrated the news.
"Ukraine and Moldova are already now delivering on rule of law requirements set by Member States," she said. "It is now time to accelerate on their road to EU membership. This is the best way to ensure minority rights are respected."
Following Wednesday's meeting, the EU Council will send a letter to Ukraine and Moldova, which will then respond with their positions for ambassadors to assess.
In principle, Hungary could re-impose the veto at any time, but officials and diplomats in Brussels are confident that the intergovernmental conference, marking the formal opening of the first cluster, will unfold smoothly on 15 June in Luxembourg.
This article has been updated with more information.