KYIV, Ukraine – The future of Ukraine’s European Union membership largely rests with Hungary, as stated by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán during his annual State of the Nation address. This assertion marks a continuation of Orbán’s critical stance towards Ukraine, which is reeling from the ongoing conflict with Russia.
In his speech to party members and supporters in Budapest, Orbán referred to Ukraine as a buffer state between Russia and NATO nations. He predicted that even after the war concludes, Ukraine would continue to serve this role, thereby complicating its aspirations for NATO membership. He emphasized that the possibility of Ukraine joining the EU hinges on Hungary’s approval, asserting, “Against the will of Hungary and the Hungarians, Ukraine will never be a member of the European Union.” Orbán expressed concern that Ukraine’s inclusion would harm Hungarian agriculture and adversely affect the nation’s economy.
For a new country to join the 27-member EU, unanimous consent from all member states is necessary. Orbán is often labeled as the EU leader most aligned with the Kremlin. He has frequently obstructed EU efforts to support Ukraine during its defense against the Russian invasion. Although he has been critical of EU sanctions against Russia, he has ultimately supported them each time.
While Hungary is a member of both the EU and NATO and has welcomed Ukrainian refugees fleeing the conflict, it has also hindered EU financial aid to Ukraine and sought closer economic ties with Russia during the ongoing war.
In his remarks, Orbán appeared to cast doubt on Ukraine’s sovereignty, stating that the conflict instigated by Russia nearly three years ago concerns the territory known as Ukraine rather than its people. He suggested that this area has historically functioned as a buffer zone between NATO and Russia, predicting that “what remains of Ukraine will again become a buffer zone” and would not gain NATO membership.
These sentiments echo recently articulated views by some members of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, who suggested Ukraine might need to forsake its NATO membership ambitions as a security measure against future Russian threats. Orbán, known to be an ally of Trump, has praised moves by the U.S. administration aimed at dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), alleging, without evidence, that it was used to promote liberal efforts in Hungary intended to destabilize his government.
During his address, Orbán vowed to hold accountable non-governmental organizations, media outlets, and rights groups that have received USAID funding, indicating that these entities would face elimination in Hungary along with potential legal repercussions. He also reiterated his commitment to stricter policies against civil society groups and those supporting LGBTQ+ rights, announcing plans to send a commissioner to the U.S. to gather information on Hungarian organizations that benefited from USAID funding.
Orbán emphasized the urgent need to establish legal and constitutional frameworks to prevent foreign interests from influencing local public organizations and political actions. He proposed modifying the Hungarian Constitution to assert that there are only two genders—man and woman—and insinuated that his government would move to ban the annual LGBTQ+ Pride parade scheduled for this summer in Budapest. He suggested that organizers might as well not waste their time or resources preparing for the event, signaling a commitment to countering LGBTQ+ representation.
