Hungary to hold special referendum on Ukraine’s EU membership

ISTANBUL

Hungary on Thursday announced a special referendum on Ukraine’s potential EU membership, citing serious economic, political, and security concerns.

"Ukraine’s EU membership is on the table. A post-war accession of Ukraine would bring huge risks. This cannot happen against the will of the Hungarian people, so the Hungarian government is launching a special referendum on the issue," Balazs Orban, political director for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, said on X.

He emphasized that Hungary’s decision cannot be dictated by Brussels.

Orban said the economic modeling conducted by the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs Senior Fellow Philipp Pilkington suggests that the EU would struggle to support Ukraine’s integration.

Citing another senior fellow, Peter Siklosi, he underscored the geopolitical risks of integrating Ukraine while its borders remain in dispute due to the ongoing conflict with Russia.

“Guaranteeing EU membership to a country whose borders are not clearly defined would be unprecedented,” he said.