Kiev’s potential membership in the bloc would escalate the conflict, Prime Minister Viktor Orban has warned
Admitting Ukraine into the EU would only prolong the hostilities between Moscow and Kiev and risk dragging the bloc into the conflict, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has warned.
Ukraine, which has made EU membership a national priority, formally applied to join the bloc in February 2022, days after the escalation of the conflict with Russia. Hungary has repeatedly pushed back against the EU’s goal of admitting Ukraine by 2030 – a target recently reiterated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
On Monday, Orban reiterated Budapest’s opposition to accession, calling it a decision that could shape the bloc’s future for the worse.
“As a country neighboring Ukraine, we believe that if Ukraine is admitted to the European Union, it will mean war,” Orban told the conference of EU parliamentary speakers in Budapest. The EU has never accepted a country at war – and for “good reason,” he added.
The Hungarian leader also expressed regret over the commitment of some EU leaders to continued military aid for Kiev.
“We have a different view. We think the longer the war lasts, the more lives will be lost and the worse the situation will become on the battlefield,” Orban said.
Ukraine still faces major hurdles on its path to joining the bloc, with full membership requiring unanimous EU approval and sweeping reforms, including anti-corruption efforts, improved governance, and legal alignment with EU standards.
Orban has long opposed Ukraine’s integration into Western institutions, including NATO, arguing that its accession could escalate tensions with Russia. He suggested that the country should instead remain a “buffer” between Russia and the West.
While Russia has consistently rejected the idea of Ukraine joining NATO, its position on EU accession has been more restrained. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said Ukraine has the “sovereign right” to join the bloc, provided that it remains a matter of economic integration and not military alignment.
However, Russian officials have warned that the line between civilian and military in the EU is becoming blurred. Peskov has accused the bloc of actively working to prolong the Ukraine conflict by repeatedly expressing its intention to support Kiev in its desire to “continue the war.” He has also criticized Brussels for undermining peace efforts by portraying Russia as the bloc’s primary adversary.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stated that the EU is “becoming militarized at a record pace,” adding that there is now “very little difference” between the EU and NATO.
