Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán reiterated in a post on the social media platform X that Budapest feels no moral obligation to support Ukraine's accession to the European Union. He stated that membership decisions cannot be imposed and that Kyiv will not "exhaust" Hungary through pressure or public campaigns.

In his post, Orbán stated: "Hungary has no moral obligation to support Ukraine's entry into the EU. No country has ever joined the European Union through blackmail – and this time, it will not happen either." This direct statement underscores that Budapest views Zelensky's public appeals as a form of "moral blackmail," which it rejects as an inappropriate tool of international diplomacy.

The Prime Minister also recalled the legal framework: according to him, the Treaty on the EU does not allow for ambiguities – the accession of a new member must be approved unanimously by all member states. The press frequently cites this legal reservation when reporting on the current dispute between Budapest and Kyiv. The statement also has a strong domestic dimension. Orbán recalled the results of a recent referendum, where a "vast majority" of voters reportedly opposed the rapid accession of Ukraine to the Union.

Kyiv's response was equally clear: President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly stated that Ukraine will join the EU "with or without Orbán," emphasizing that it will not change course due to the opposition of individual heads of state. This contradiction between Kyiv's pro-European ambitions and the conditions set by some member states illustrates a broader problem of consensus-based decision-making in Brussels.

The dispute over Hungary's position once again raises the question of the future of EU enlargement, the sovereignty of member states, and the political pressures between East and West. Orbán is positioning himself as a voice defending "national interests" against the pressure of the majority, while Kyiv is striving to maintain the momentum of its European integration.

gnews.cz - GH