Hungary sees Ukraine’s EU membership in near future as unrealistic

ATHENS

Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban said his country views Ukraine’s EU membership in the near future as unrealistic, media reports said Friday.

Orban noted that accession should be approved by all members of the bloc. “The Hungarian parliament does not have an ‘irresistible desire’ to vote on it within the next two years,” he told public broadcaster, Radio Kossuth.

Regarding the question about whether it is permissible to start negotiations with a country that is in a territorial war, he said, is not possible to know how big the territory and population would Ukraine have.

But the allocation of subsidies by the Union is based on that data, said Orban.

More EU funds to Kyiv means less money for Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Croatia as the bloc’s budget is not unlimited, he said.

Orban also argued that some in the West have globalized the war in Ukraine, which should be isolated.

“The front lines don't change, yet tens of thousands die without knowing when it will end. Meanwhile, more and more dangerous weapons are deployed that can reach us, who are on the side of peace,” he added.