Orban Opposes Ukraine's NATO Membership, Sets EU Entry Conditions
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Synopsis
Hungarian PM Viktor Orban rejects Ukraine's NATO membership bid, threatening to block its EU access if it contradicts Hungary's interests, citing potential harm to Hungarian farmers and the economy.
Key Takeaways
- Orban opposes Ukraine's NATO membership.
- EU entry threatened if Hungary's interests are affected.
- Ukraine's accession could harm Hungarian farmers.
- Post-conflict period is critical, according to Orban.
- Ukraine serves as a buffer zone between NATO and Russia.
Budapest, Feb 23 (NationPress) Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has voiced his opposition to Ukraine's aspirations to join NATO, vowing to obstruct its entry into the European Union (EU) if it contradicts Hungary's interests. In his state-of-the-nation address in Budapest, Orban declared, “Against Hungary and the Hungarians, Ukraine will never be a member of the European Union,” emphasizing the right of Hungarians to determine the EU membership status, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
He cautioned that Ukraine’s membership would devastate Hungarian farmers and the entire national economy, stating, “Ukraine’s accession would destroy Hungarian farmers, and not only them, but the entire Hungarian national economy.”
Orban also highlighted the importance of the post-conflict era following the Russia-Ukraine war, asserting that this phase is more crucial than the conflict itself. He positioned Ukraine as a “buffer zone” between NATO and Russia, firmly dismissing any idea of Ukraine becoming a NATO member.
A persistent critic of many European leaders' approaches to the Ukraine conflict, Orban accused them of pulling the West into a futile and perilous confrontation.
The discourse surrounding Ukraine's future unfolds amid ongoing discussions to conclude the three-year military conflict. This follows recent high-level negotiations in Saudi Arabia between US and Russian officials regarding a potential peace agreement—a meeting notably lacking representatives from the EU and Ukraine. Ukrainian President Zelensky has reiterated that any peace plan excluding Ukraine's direct involvement is unacceptable.
