Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on November 4th urged Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to stop blocking Kyiv’s bid to join the EU, as Brussels backed the country’s advancing to the next step in the integration process, despite state-level corruption concerns.
Brussels says that enlargement is a “strategic priority” because of the possibility that “Russia will attack the EU within the coming years.”
In its annual report assessing the performance of countries seeking to join the Union, the EU’s executive arm praised Kyiv for pressing on with critical reforms despite the ongoing war.
But Brussels warned against “backsliding” on anti-corruption efforts after Zelensky was forced to reverse moves to curb the independence of agencies tackling graft amid discontent from his European allies.
“We are at war for our survival, and we would really like the prime minister of Hungary to support us, at least not block us,” Zelensky told an event hosted by broadcaster Euronews.
Viktor Orbán responded to Zelensky on X on the same day, reminding of the many ways in which Hungary has supported Ukraine.
Hungary has taken in refugees from Ukraine, there have been more than 14 million border crossings from Ukraine since the beginning of the war … So far, we have spent a total of 200 million euros on humanitarian assistance to Ukrainians. It is unfortunate if this means nothing to President Zelensky.
The prime minister also drew attention to the fact that the funding Ukraine receives from the EU also includes Hungarian taxpayers’ money.
“I must reject the suggestion that Hungary owes Ukraine anything. Ukraine does not defend Hungary from anyone or anything. We did not ask for such a thing, and we never will. The security of Hungary is guaranteed by our national defence capabilities and by NATO, of which Ukraine is (fortunately) not a member,” Orbán reiterated.
The Hungarian leader stressed that every EU member state has the right to veto, based on each country’s sovereignty.
