Orban opposes starting Ukraine-EU talks, suggesting integration process premature
Negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU do not meet the country's interests and should not be started, Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban said this in an interview with Radio Kossuth, according to Index.
"There are many questions to which we do not know the answers: Ukraine is in a state of war, and its legal system works differently than in a peaceful country," Orban said.
He added that currently "it is impossible to know the size of the population of Ukraine that they want to accept in the EU."
According to the prime minister, now it is also impossible to know how much money will have to be spent on the development of Ukraine and where this money will come from. He believes that in this way "EU member states may lose resources".
The EU should first establish a strategic partnership with Ukraine, but this will happen only after many years, Orban stated, adding that this will bring Ukraine closer to the community.
"We gave Ukrainians a hundred billion euros, but if we used them for the development of Europe, the economies would be in a better state. The prices for utility services have now increased, unemployment is higher," he added.
On November 20, as part of the European Parliament election campaign, the Hungarian government erected billboards across the country that depicted the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, alongside Alexander Soros, the son of the American billionaire and philanthropist George Soros. The billboards were widely criticized as being "shameful".
On November 22, media reports suggested Orbán threatened to block all European Union aid to Ukraine, as well as the country's future accession to the bloc, if EU leaders do not agree to review their strategy for supporting Ukraine.
On the same day, a draft law was submitted to the Hungarian Parliament on the creation of the State Agency for the Protection of Sovereignty, which should identify and stop "foreign attempts to influence politics." In his speeches, Orbán states that the main purpose of his work as prime minister is to protect Hungary's sovereignty from the encroachments of the European Union.
On November 8, the European Commission recommended starting negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union.
The decision regarding the start of negotiations between the European Union and Ukraine regarding accession is expected to be settled in December at the EU summit. This decision requires the unanimous approval of all 27 member states. However, the EU has a plan "B" in case not all 27 member states opt to vote.
On November 10, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated that Hungary has a "clear stance" that there should be no negotiations regarding Ukraine's accession to the European Union.
On November 23, the executive bodies of the European Union approved advance payments of 900 million euros within the framework of the previously frozen fund to support the post-COVID recovery of Hungary's economy.
