European Centre for Counterterrorism and Intelligence Studies, Germany & Netherlands – ECCI
Hungary holds the line on Ukraine’s EU bid veto after negative referendum
euractiv ـ Buoyed by the negative outcome of a self-styled referendum on Ukraine’s EU accession, Hungary shows no sign of lifting its veto on Kyiv’s membership bid.
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced in March that he would hold a national vote on Ukraine’s EU accession as part of his ongoing campaign to block the process.
According to the Hungarian government, the results published on Thursday show that 95% of surveyed citizens – approximately around 29% of the country’s eligible electorate – oppose Ukraine’s accession to the EU.
Similar to an anti-sanctions referendum in 2023, however, the poll took the form of a consultation rather than a binding referendum.
Throughout the campaign, Orbán’s government made a concerted effort to sway public opinion, including widespread billboard, letter, and flyer messaging against Ukraine’s accession.
Orbán told reporters in Brussels at the EU summit that, based on these results, he plans to continue vetoing the opening of any further EU negotiation chapters with Ukraine.
“The problem is the war, if we were to integrate Ukraine into the EU, we would integrate the war, we wouldn’t want to be in the same community as a country at war,” Orbán said.
EU leaders were to host Volodymyr Zelenskyy by video call during Thursday’s summit, but it was clear they would not be able to make progress on Ukraine’s accession.
EU leaders, minus Hungary, are expected to “commend Ukraine for the pace of its accession-related reforms under the most challenging circumstances,” according to the latest draft of EU summit conclusions, seen by Euractiv.
Minority question
Brussels and the Polish EU presidency had hoped initially to open the first negotiation cluster on Ukraine’s and Moldova’s EU membership, related to the so-called ‘fundamentals’ of shared values, rule of law, independent judiciary and human rights, in spring.
According to an internal European Commission assessment, seen by Euractiv, both Ukraine and Moldova would be in substance ready to start negotiating the chapter.
In a reference to this, EU26 leaders are expected to say they “take good note of the assessment of the Commission that the fundamentals cluster is ready to be opened.”
Budapest has stalled Ukraine’s progress for months, primarily over complaints about discrimination against national minorities but also over an increasingly Russia-friendly course against Ukraine.
Tensions had flared only recently as both sides expelled diplomats after Ukraine said it had uncovered a Hungarian spy network in the western Zakarpattia region, which has a significant ethnic-Hungarian population.
Budapest took the exchange as an opportunity to yet again postpone negotiations on national minorities.
Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Poland’s Europe Minister Adam Szłapka rejected the idea that the Polish presidency had failed.
“We worked very closely with the Commission, and we did everything we could in this regard – everything is ready for a decision,” Szłapka said.
Pressed on Hungary’s continued obstruction, Szłapka said he would “urge the Hungarian government to ask the Hungarian minority in Ukraine whether they want Ukraine to join the EU.” “I believe the minority does want this,” he added.
European Centre for Counterterrorism and Intelligence Studies, Germany & Netherlands – ECCI
