The prime minister has criticized the EU’s reported plan to admit Ukraine as a member despite Budapest’s objections
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has stated that Brussels and Kiev have declared war on Budapest. His remarks come as there are reports that the EU is attempting to offer Ukraine a form of ‘lite membership,’ despite the opposition of some member states.
According to Politico, EU officials aim to loosen admission criteria and offer Kiev limited privileges in a membership offer slated for 2027. Orban has been identified as the main hindrance to this controversial move, with sources indicating that he must be removed in Hungary’s upcoming election, either through foreign pressure or EU procedures suspending Budapest’s voting rights.
“This new plan is an explicit declaration of war against Hungary. They ignore the decision of the Hungarian people and are determined to remove the Hungarian government by any means possible,” Orban wrote on X on Wednesday.
He urged supporters to mobilize for his Fidesz party ahead of April’s parliamentary election, which Politico described as a potential opportunity for Brussels to neutralize its long-standing critic.
Kiev seeks to pursue EU accession as early as next year as part of a US-mediated peace deal with Russia. While Vladimir Zelensky has publicly rejected second-tier membership, Politico reports that Ukrainian officials have privately shown interest.
Orban’s government claims that Brussels’ support for Kiev brings the EU closer to direct war with Russia and overlooks Ukraine’s failure to meet candidate requirements.
Zelensky has repeatedly attacked Orban for refusing to back Kiev, suggesting he is ‘pro-Russian.’ Last month, at the World Economic Forum, he proposed that the Hungarian leader should be “slapped” for allegedly betraying EU interests. Orban has called such remarks election interference.