Hungarian PM opposes Ukraine’s immediate EU accession

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has expressed strong opposition to Ukraine’s immediate membership in the EU, while leaving open the possibility of future accession under different circumstances.

Orbán emphasised that Ukraine’s EU membership would currently conflict with Hungary’s national interests, Caliber.Az reports per foreign radio. 

The prime minister made it clear that he strongly objects to the prospect of Ukraine joining the EU at this time, though he noted that he cannot predict the future and does not claim this opposition will last indefinitely.

"Who knows what history will bring? No one can predict that, but one thing I can say for certain: right now, it is unthinkable," he said. 

Orbán further argued that Ukraine’s EU membership would lead to significant economic challenges for Hungary.

He warned that such an outcome would be disastrous for Hungarian farmers, ultimately undermining the entire agricultural sector and severely harming the national economy. 

"I cannot say a single word in favour of Ukraine joining the EU from the perspective of Hungarian interests, and I can present numerous arguments that speak against its accession at this time," Orbán concluded, reinforcing his position against Ukraine’s immediate entry into the EU.

The Hungarian government has previously stated multiple times that if Ukraine were to join the EU, the influx of cheap Ukrainian agricultural products would flood the European market, negatively impacting the livelihoods of local farmers. As a result, Budapest continues maintaining a ban on the import of grain and other agricultural products from its neighbouring country.

By Naila Huseynova