Hungary will not promise to start negotiations on Ukraineʼs accession to the European Union, because the rules do not provide for such a possibility. Instead, Budapest proposes not to bring up the issue of Ukraineʼs accession to the EU at all at the summit, which will be held on December 14-15.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán informed about this on “Kossuth” radio, the Hungarian publication “Index” reports.
Orban claims that it is "clear in advance" that there will be no agreement on Ukraineʼs accession to the EU among the member states.
According to him, currently the negotiations on Ukraineʼs accession to the EU "do not correspond to the interests of Hungary". He suggests that the European Union conclude a strategic partnership agreement with Ukraine, and return to the "talk about accession" in a few years.
- On November 8, the European Commission recommended starting negotiations with Ukraine on joining the EU. Now the commissionʼs conclusion must be approved by the member states when EU leaders meet on December 14-15 at the summit. If they officially give the green light to the negotiations, the blocʼs executive body will begin technical work on preparing the accession process.
- Earlier, the European Commission excluded Hungary from the economic stimulus program to overcome the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic due to signs of corruption and Orbánʼs governmentʼs retreat from the principles of the rule of law. In response, Hungary effectively vetoed the EUʼs decision to provide Ukraine with €50 billion in economic aid until 2027. Orban also threatened to block the start of negotiations with Ukraine on its accession to the European Union.
- Since the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion of the territory of our country, Hungary has never provided military support to Ukraine, Prime Minister Orban has an openly pro-Russian position.