BUDAPEST - April 25, 2025 (MTI) - Including Ukraine, which is at war, in the European Union, which was created as a peace alliance, would bring war into the EU, said Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Friday's "Good Morning, Hungary" program on Kossuth Radio.

Orbán emphasized that we should not do this; we should say no to Ukraine's accession to the EU. He added that this process ultimately cannot be stopped; he didn't say it was impossible, but rather very difficult. Therefore, it is better to clear the air from the beginning and prevent a situation where the entire Europe is "standing on our chests" and demanding that Hungary say yes. Either we stop this process now, or we will not be able to stop it later, the Prime Minister emphasized. He pointed out that it is up to us, the Hungarians, to decide when Ukraine becomes a member of the EU, and we are not very willing to say yes.

He added that, according to an EU decision – which the committee chairman announced to the entire European public at a plenary session of the European Parliament – Ukraine must be admitted to the organization by 2030. "The order has been given," he said, and added that all parties in Europe that support the committee are speaking with the same voice, that Ukraine should be admitted to the European Union, and that the Hungarian government is against it. He noted that the Hungarian opposition has organized a vote on this issue, and it was "quite fair": the only "ruling party in Brussels" was the Hungarian one, which asked its own supporters what they thought about Ukraine's accession, and fifty-nine percent of them said yes. This is a lively, real debate, and not only in Europe, but also here in Hungary, he emphasized.

He emphasized that one side says that Ukraine should be admitted as ordered by the President of the Commission, i.e., by 2030, and there is another position - represented by the national party - which says that Hungary is more important than Ukraine, and that a rapid accession of Ukraine would destroy Hungary and mean economic bankruptcy for us. When speaking about the Russia-Ukraine war, Orbán said that it would be good to end the war psychosis in Europe. He said that he hopes for a faster pace and that he believes that the moment will come sooner when Europeans realize that without the United States, it makes no sense to support Ukraine. Without the United States, Ukraine has no chance of even maintaining its remaining positions, let alone regaining anything, he said.

He added that he thought everyone would see that we only have one option and one task, which is to support the peace efforts of the American president, but that is not happening. Twenty-five out of 27 countries in the European Union, with the exception of the Slovaks and Hungarians, have decided to continue the war and increase the level of military aid. He recalled that the European Parliament, including Hungarian opposition parties in the European Parliament, recently decided that Ukraine should receive further significant military assistance in the billions of euros. According to the Prime Minister's assessment, it is clear that there is a serious war psychosis that does not want to "support" the Americans, but to promote a separate European war strategy.

The Prime Minister emphasized that we cannot support Ukraine's accession to the EU, because we must defend the achievements we have made so far. He emphasized that the reason why new members are admitted to the EU is because "it is good for us." This was the case with Hungary and the countries of the region. If we admit Ukraine and it is a situation that is beneficial for everyone, I would like to say yes," he said, and added that he is sure that the opposite will be true. Why should we be wrong when we can be right, or at least defend what we have achieved so far? - asked Mr. Orbán.

He also pointed out that, in addition to a large influx of low-quality products, another serious problem would be that EU funds would be absorbed by subsidies to Ukraine, and Hungary would become a contributor rather than a recipient, which would mean that "we would also be financing Ukraine's membership in the European Union." In my opinion, this is not in our interest, and Hungary has the right to defend its own interests," the Prime Minister stated. Referring to a statement by Kinga Kollár in Brussels, Orbán said that the TISZA party parliamentarian had "shamelessly told Hungarians" that she and her party colleagues were working daily to ensure that "Hungary does not receive the funds it is entitled to," and that she was proud of it. The Prime Minister emphasized that it is unacceptable and "impossible" that while 4.7 million people in Hungary are working for the success of themselves and their country, "there are only a few dozen people" in Brussels who, for a salary, are working against it. Hungary owes money, and that money must be earned, Orbán stressed. The Prime Minister suggested that a serious political struggle had already secured 13 billion euros, which has tangibly increased the salaries of teachers from domestic budget sources and EU funds, and that it is possible to increase them further. He stated that there are still tens of billions of euros to be secured, and that he is fighting to have Brussels pay them without conditions. Brussels, of course, says that if you let in migrants, you give up the protection of children, you switch from a pro-peace to a pro-war policy, and you line up, you can easily get this money. But I say that at this price, no, so let's fight for it," said Viktor Orbán. He added that they would bring these funds home at any cost, because "Hungary has the decision-making power that the European Union needs, and it cannot do without us." This will require time and struggle, and certainly not surrender and submission. Bringing these funds in to satisfy the demands of Brussels actually turns Hungary into a Brussels colony. And we will not be a colony, the Prime Minister said. Orbán stated that the TISZA party has an agreement with Manfred Weber, the President of the European People's Party: they have accepted the TISZA party into their ranks, the TISZA party will receive support from the European People's Party, for example, by suspending funds that Hungary is entitled to, reducing the standard of living of Hungarians, and helping TISZA to gain power.

He stated that "Hungary will no longer be Hungary without migrants, because migrants will be let in; Hungary will no longer have child protection, because LGBTQ people will be able to live freely; and Hungary will no longer be a pro-peace Hungary, because we will line up to support military action in Ukraine." The Prime Minister also said that Brussels expects the Tisza party to support Ukraine's rapid accession to the European Union, which is included in the party's program. Orbán emphasized that these steps will "cause Hungary to cease to exist as an independent state for a long time." He pointed out that anyone who knows Hungarian history knows that Hungarian politics can only be successful if it is independent, and that if it is not independent, it will definitely not be independent.

He noted that as an independent state, Hungary has a chance to prosper. If a country loses its independence, it will be pushed back into a colonial line as a poor and plundered country. Orbán said that on the one hand, many Hungarians have money to spend on Easter with their families in restaurants or other services, and on the other hand, it also means that many Hungarian families make a living by running hotels and restaurants, and are therefore connected to tourism. "There are 400,000 families in Hungary that make a living from tourism," he added. The Prime Minister emphasized that if tourism is doing well, then a strong sector of the Hungarian economy is also doing well, and people have a livelihood thanks to tourism.

Orbán, who paid tribute to Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday, said that in times of war, the greatest legacy that warring parties, the entire European, Western, and even human civilization can receive is peace itself. Pope Francis was a man of peace. This means that he was both a "gentle person" and "resolutely courageous," he said. He said that standing up for peace in the past three years has meant daily attacks, stigmatization, and harassment, and that the Holy Father has been under constant fire from pro-war propaganda networks that have tried to persuade him to abandon his pro-peace stance, but he has not done so.

"For us Hungarians, this was particularly important, because in the past three years, until the victory of Donald Trump, only two countries in the entire Western world consistently stood up for peace: Hungary and the Vatican," Orbán said. He added that if you are alone, and we have always been alone in the European Council, then every friendship and support is more important. The Prime Minister pointed out that this also applies to Pope Francis, who has constantly urged Hungary to bravely stand up for peace, and that his support adds "a supernatural weight to the truth," to peace, in other words, to the thing that we Hungarians also represent.

He said that it is unprecedented for a representative of the Catholic Church to visit Hungarians three times, twice in "Little Hungary" and once in Csíksomlyo. He did not hide the fact that this may have had a personal motive. In Argentina, where he came from to Rome, he worked with Hungarian nuns and Hungarian believers, and therefore he knew Hungarians, and "he was one of those who decided that Hungarians are good and decent people," said Viktor Orbán. He added that during their personal meeting, he sensed that Pope Francis had, in addition to the community of believers, another type of "national sympathy." "He was an Argentine who liked Hungarians," the Prime Minister said.

He emphasized that the Hungarian Catholic Church plays an exceptionally important role in the life of Hungarian society. It plays a significant and irreplaceable role in organizing the lives of Hungarians, operating numerous schools, kindergartens, vocational schools, and a large university. It also participates in caring for the elderly, those in need, and in the integration of the Roma community. He also said that he is looking forward to the next period of events in the Vatican, as the person who leads the Catholic Church will have an impact on Hungary.

miniszterelnok.hu/ gnews.cz-jav