Hungary pledges to oppose Ukraine’s EU membership

Hungary has announced it will vote against Ukraine’s bid to join the European Union, citing the country’s failure to meet the necessary conditions for membership, according to Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó.

"If a vote were held today on whether Ukraine should become an EU member, the answer would clearly be no, because Ukraine does not meet the requirements for EU membership," Szijjártó said, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The minister refrained from listing specific reasons but highlighted that the issue of the rights of Hungary’s national minority in Transcarpathia remains a significant concern.

Note that, Ukraine has long pursued membership in NATO and the European Union as central to its goal of aligning with the West. While NATO accession remains elusive during the ongoing war with Russia, Kyiv hopes to make significant progress towards EU integration in 2025. However, this path is expected to involve numerous domestic and international challenges.

Ukraine's EU aspirations gained momentum after the 2004 Orange Revolution, though initial enthusiasm was not reciprocated by the European Union. It was not until 2013 that an Association Agreement was finalized. However, Russian pressure led then-President Viktor Yanukovych to abandon the deal, sparking mass protests known as the Revolution of Dignity.

After Yanukovych fled to Russia in early 2014, his successor Petro Poroshenko signed the agreement, but by that time, Russia had already annexed Crimea and ignited conflict in eastern Ukraine.

These events set the stage for the full-scale invasion of 2022, further emphasizing Ukraine's commitment to EU integration as part of its broader shift towards Europe.

By Aghakazim Guliyev