The European Union (EU) and Ukraine on Monday opened the first cluster of accession negotiations, known as the "fundamentals" cluster, marking a new step in Ukraine's bid to join the EU.

According to the Council of the European Union, the cluster covers core EU values and principles, including the rule of law, fundamental rights, democratic institutions, public administration reform and economic criteria.

The council said the "fundamentals" cluster is the first to be opened and the last to be closed during accession talks, making it central to the overall negotiation process. The EU will continue to assess Ukraine's progress in aligning its legislation and reforms with EU standards throughout the negotiations.