Ukraine accession to EU unlikely: Hungary's Orban

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News Website
30 Sep 2023 23:19

Hungarian PM Victor Orban, says Ukraine's accession to the EU is unlikely because the country is at war making its population and size unknown.

Hungary's Prime Minister Victor Orban briefs the media in Berlin, Germany, on Monday, Feb. 10, 2020 (AP)

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban expressed skepticism regarding the European Union's plans to begin negotiations for Ukraine's accession to the EU, citing the ongoing war as a major hurdle, Euronews reported.

Orban's comments came as EU leaders prepare to decide on the commencement of accession negotiations with Ukraine during an upcoming summit in December.

His reservations highlight the challenges faced by the EU in expanding its membership, particularly given the war raging in Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion.

Speaking to the state radio, Orban emphasized the need for unanimity among the EU's 27 member states to admit a new country into the bloc.

In the case of Hungary, he pointed out that the Hungarian parliament would have to approve Ukraine's accession, and he expressed doubts about the parliament's willingness to do so within the proposed timeline.

"When I'm in the chamber, I don't feel the insurmountable desire for the Hungarian parliament to vote for Ukraine's membership of the European Union within two years. So I would be careful with these ambitious plans," Orban stated.

Hungary has faced its own share of challenges within the EU, with some EU funds being frozen due to alleged rule-of-law violations and corruption.

Additionally, Hungary has been in conflict with Kiev over the rights of an ethnic Hungarian minority residing in western Ukraine. Despite admitting Ukrainian refugees and condemning Russia, Hungary has maintained closer relations with Moscow than most EU countries. It has also argued against supplying arms to Ukraine or providing it with economic assistance.

Orban noted that there are substantial questions to be answered before negotiations can even commence. "When we are discussing the future of Ukraine in Brussels in the autumn, we will not be able to avoid the question of whether we can think seriously about the membership of such a country," he said.

"Can we start negotiations with a country that is in a territorial war? We do not know the size of this country's territory since it is still at war, and we do not know what its population is because they are fleeing. ... To admit a country without knowing its parameters would be unprecedented," he added.