Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has reiterated his opposition to Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, tying it to the country’s inability to join NATO.
Speaking in an interview with France’s LCI channel, Orbán claimed that granting EU membership to Ukraine would bring serious economic consequences for the bloc. He also suggested that NATO membership should precede EU integration, referencing the path taken by other Central and Eastern European nations.
“First, everyone was accepted into NATO. That was the guarantee of military security, and only then could the country join the EU. But now that’s impossible. If Ukraine joins NATO, it would immediately mean war between NATO and Russia… For us Hungarians, and for Europeans in general, it is not in our interest to face the threat of war and direct conflict with Russia,” Orbán said.
When pressed by the interviewer, who evoked memories of Soviet tanks in Budapest to question Orbán’s stance toward Ukraine’s plight, the Hungarian leader emphasized a shared historical experience.
“So yes, we understand the Ukrainians. But we believe that Russia doesn’t need to be loved — it needs to be dealt with. Russia is a geopolitical reality, even if we don’t like it,” Orbán stated.
He added that Hungarians “understand Ukraine’s history a little better than they do in France,” and referred to Hungary’s own history of foreign occupation.
