Hungary’s objections stall Ukraine’s EU accession talks

Hungary’s Prime Minister has halted talks with Kyiv about joining the EU, claiming that Ukraine is far from meeting the requirements for European Union membership. Viktor Orban’s stance arises from various factors, including concerns about the treatment of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine, Hungary’s relations with Russia and the desire to access frozen funds from Brussels.

Following the European Commission’s recommendation for EU member states to initiate accession negotiations with Ukraine, Prime Minister Orban swiftly expressed opposition to commencing talks with Kyiv just two days later. This effectively blocks Ukraine’s path to EU membership, as decisions regarding expansion policies in the EU are unanimous among member states. Orban emphasized that Ukraine isn’t currently equipped to engage in discussions about its aspirations for EU accession, asserting that the country is significantly distant from meeting the necessary criteria for EU membership.

Orban’s statements aren’t surprising to those familiar with Eastern European dynamics. No EU nation demonstrates as much hostility towards Ukraine as Hungary. The strained relations between Kyiv and Budapest have persisted for many years. This is primarily rooted in the Zakarpattia Oblast in the westernmost part of Ukraine, bordering Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania, which maintains closer proximity to Budapest than to Kyiv.