Hungarian PM alarms EU over Ukraine accession costs, questions bloc’s future

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has cautioned that Ukraine’s accelerated accession to the European Union could impose a staggering financial burden on the bloc, potentially amounting to €2.5 trillion.

Speaking at the Forum of Hungarian Representatives in the Carpathian Basin held in Budapest, Orbán voiced strong scepticism regarding the economic feasibility of Kyiv’s full EU integration, Caliber.Az  reports, citing Russian media.

The Hungarian leader rejected assertions by EU officials suggesting that Ukraine’s membership could be achieved at minimal cost, stating instead that the financial impact would be unprecedented.

“The full integration of Ukraine, designed for several years, will cost about €2.5 trillion, which is 12 times the total EU budget,” Orbán said.

He further warned that the expenses associated with rebuilding Ukraine, already ravaged by war, would also be significant. According to Orbán, conservative estimates put reconstruction costs at €500 billion, while Ukrainian sources claim the figure could rise to €1 trillion.

“In addition, maintaining the functioning of the Ukrainian state already costs €100 billion a year,” the Hungarian prime minister added.

Citing recent EU-wide polls, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán asserted that a majority of European citizens do not support the accelerated accession of Ukraine to the European Union, nor the continued provision of military aid—whether in the form of weapons or personnel—to Kyiv. “The war is costly not only for us Hungarians, but for all European nations who feel its burden,” he remarked.

Orbán further warned that a rushed integration of Ukraine would exacerbate the already strained conditions within the European Union, which is grappling with profound socio-economic challenges. He argued that the EU of today bears little resemblance to the bloc Hungary joined two decades ago, noting that “the legendary quality of life in the West has been lost.” In his view, the bloc is at risk of deepening internal instability by overextending itself geopolitically without adequately addressing the concerns of its own citizens.

By Vafa Guliyeva