EU ambassadors have agreed in principle on the negotiating frameworks for the accession negotiations of Ukraine and Moldova, the Belgian EU Council presidency said on Friday.
Their decision is due to be formally finalized at an EU ministerial meeting next week.
Originally, the EU countries actually wanted to discuss a 14th package of sanctions on Russia at their Friday meeting but Germany previously expressed concerns about the plans, which have not yet been resolved.
The agreement to start accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova is an important sign, however, particularly for Kiev.
It comes the day before the Ukraine peace conference starts in Switzerland, seeking to gain the broadest possible international support for the Ukrainian peace plan with a complete withdrawal of Russia from Ukrainian territory.