Hungary doubled down on its opposition to Ukraine’s European Union membership, with senior officials calling the accelerated accession process “absurd” due to unresolved territorial disputes and economic risks.
At his weekly press briefing, Gergely Gulyás, head of the Hungarian Prime Minister’s Office, outlined three key objections, such as Ukraine’s territorial uncertainty during the war, economic burdens and minority rights.
Hungary argues Ukraine’s inclusion would overwhelm EU agricultural subsidies and cohesion funds, potentially costing Hungary billions in lost support. Moreover, Budapest continues to protest what it calls Kyiv’s discrimination against the 150,000-strong Hungarian minority in Ukraine’s Transcarpathia region.
The hardline stance comes as Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government announces a national referendum on Ukraine’s EU bid.
The move further strains relations between Budapest and Brussels ahead of a crucial election year in Hungary. Hungary’s 20 March veto of a joint statement in support of Ukraine forced the EU to start looking for circumventions to bypass the Hungarian stance.
At the same time, Orbán’s political rival, Péter Magyar, is also reaching out to voters to ask their opinion on Ukraine’s membership. However, in addition to Kyiv’s membership in the bloc, he includes 12 other questions in the poll, such as pension support, VAT cuts on essential goods and other pressing issues.
Analysts see Magyar’s campaign as an attempt by his patrons to influence Hungarian politics internally.
