Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has voiced strong opposition to Ukraine’s bid to join NATO and pledged to block its access to the European Union if it conflicts with Hungary’s interests.
In his state-of-the-nation speech, Orban emphasized that Ukraine will never be a member of the EU against Hungary’s will, highlighting the Hungarians’ right to decide on EU membership.
Orban warned that Ukraine’s accession would devastate Hungarian farmers and the national economy.
He also stressed the importance of the post-conflict period following the Russia-Ukraine armed conflict, arguing that it is more significant than the war itself. Orban underscored Ukraine’s role as a “buffer zone” between NATO and Russia, firmly rejecting the notion of Ukraine as a NATO member.
A consistent critic of most European leaders’ handling of the conflict in Ukraine, Orban accused them of dragging the West into a futile and dangerous confrontation.
The debate over Ukraine’s future comes amid discussions on ending the three-year military conflict. This follows recent high-level talks in Saudi Arabia between U.S. and Russian officials on a potential peace deal, a meeting notably absent of EU and Ukrainian representatives.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reiterated that any peace plan excluding Ukraine’s direct input is unacceptable.