Orban: Hungary to hold referendum on Ukraine's EU membership

Hungary will hold a national referendum on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced following the EU summit in Brussels.

“I think we need to take the issue of Ukraine's membership in the European Union seriously,” Orban stated while speaking to journalists, Caliber.Az reports referring to foreign media.

“It is impossible to make a responsible decision on this issue now, and I don't want this decision to go over people's heads. Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that we will initiate a vote on Ukraine's membership in the European Union. We will hold it the same way we hold national consultations – quickly and simply,” he added.

Orban emphasized the importance of understanding public opinion on this matter. “We need to know to what extent people are willing to sacrifice their interests for the sake of further support for Ukraine,” he said.

The Hungarian leader has previously voiced strong reservations about Ukraine’s accession to the EU, warning that its immediate membership could cause “irreparable damage” to European agriculture and the economy. He has also criticized Kyiv for failing to restore the rights of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia and for actions that, in his view, threaten Hungary’s energy security. These issues have been central to Budapest’s stance in EU discussions on Ukraine’s integration into European structures.

Despite his opposition to Ukraine’s immediate accession, Orban did not rule out the possibility of membership in the future, provided that Kyiv meets all necessary criteria for EU candidate status.

Orban also shared insights from the closed-door discussions at the EU summit, where he noted a strong inclination among European leaders to continue military support for Ukraine. Speaking to Hungarian television during a break in the summit, he stated:

“The Americans have made it clear that they are significantly reducing the level of support, and in some areas have even stopped it, and now the Europeans are battling over the question of whether Ukraine should continue the war now with exclusively European support. Most European leaders are inclined to say that this war should continue. Ukraine must continue the war, so Europe is not only bearing its own burden, but it is also taking on the financial and military burden that was previously borne by the Americans.”

He also mentioned that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was invited to Brussels to address EU leaders. “Many asked him questions, trying to understand the situation on the front line and what Ukrainians think about their future,” Orban said. “And I can tell you that the situation on the front line has not changed, the fighting continues.”

By Tamilla Hasanova