Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban raises concerns over Ukraine’s EU membership talks
BUDAPEST, Sept 29 – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has expressed his reservations about Ukraine’s potential membership talks with the European Union (EU), stating that “very difficult questions” must be answered before negotiations can commence.
In December, EU member states will decide whether to allow Ukraine to start accession negotiations, a decision that requires the unanimous support of all 27 members. However, diplomats have suggested that Hungary may become a potential obstacle in granting Ukraine entry into the EU.
Orban highlighted the ongoing conflict in Ukraine as a major concern, questioning whether it would be appropriate to start accession talks with a country that is currently at war. The Hungarian Prime Minister also cited uncertainties regarding the size of Ukraine’s territory and population due to the effects of the conflict.
“We don’t know how big the territory of this country is, as the war is still ongoing, we don’t know how big its population is as they are fleeing … to admit a country to the EU without knowing its parameters, this would be unprecedented,” Orban stated during an interview with state radio.
In response to Orban’s comments, Ukraine’s foreign ministry expressed appreciation for the Hungarian Prime Minister’s concerns. They reiterated that Ukraine’s territorial boundaries remain unchanged and within international recognition.
Orban’s stance towards Ukraine has been strained in the past, with the Hungarian Prime Minister developing closer ties with Moscow compared to many EU leaders. His disagreements with Kyiv include conflicts over the language rights of ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine after a 2017 law restricted the use of minority languages in schools.
Orban recently addressed the Hungarian parliament, declaring that Hungary would not support Ukraine on any international issue until the language rights of ethnic Hungarians were restored.
Despite this friction, Hungary remains a member of NATO and opposes Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The country has refused to supply weapons to Ukraine but has provided sanctuary for Ukrainian refugees fleeing the conflict.
Reporting by Krisztina Than, additional reporting by Yuliia Dysa in Kyiv, Editing by Mark Potter, Susan Fenton, Peter Graff