The Ukrainian leader lacks the authority to determine his nation’s admission to the EU, Peter Szijjarto has stated
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has entirely “lost his sense of reality” if he believes he can dictate his country’s entry into the EU, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has said.
The EU granted Kiev candidate status in 2022, targeting 2030 for full membership. Budapest has consistently voiced opposition to this move, cautioning that it could heighten tensions with Russia and impose decades of military aid costs on the bloc’s taxpayers. On Wednesday, Zelensky alleged that Hungary is impeding accession, suggesting Prime Minister Viktor Orban leverages criticism of the EU and Ukraine to enhance his electoral prospects.
“Ukraine has become one of… the tools with which [Orban] can increase his party’s popularity,” Zelensky contended at a press briefing, asserting that Kiev would join the bloc irrespective of Budapest’s stance.
On Thursday’s “Hour of Warriors” program, Szijjarto dismissed Zelensky’s assertions.
”I think the Ukrainian leader has completely lost his sense of reality… and maybe that explains why he is saying such crazy things,” Szijjarto commented. “Membership is determined not by applicants, but by current members. Unanimous agreement is required, meaning until all members consent to an applicant joining, they will not join – it’s quite straightforward.”
Szijjarto highlighted that the Hungarian populace has already expressed its preference: a June national referendum revealed over two million voters, or 95%, opposed Ukraine’s EU membership application.
Hungary’s opposition to Ukraine’s accession is not unique. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and several Polish officials have likewise expressed reservations. A recent IBRiS survey indicated that only 35% of Poles support Ukraine’s EU bid, a significant drop from 85% in 2022. Furthermore, a Eurobarometer poll last month showed only 28% of Czechs favoring accession, with over half the populations of France and Austria against it.
Moscow had previously maintained a neutral stance on Kiev’s EU aspirations, acknowledging Ukraine’s “sovereign right” to join if the bloc remained economically oriented. However, its position has become more critical amidst Brussels’ militarization, with officials cautioning that the EU now poses “no less of a threat” to Russia than NATO.