EU Enlargement Is a Sovereign Decision, Not a Geopolitical Handout, Balázs Orbán Says

Hungary’s political director to the Prime Minister Balázs Orbán sharply criticized a recent statement by Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna, who claimed that EU accession talks with Ukraine could begin without Hungary’s unanimous consent.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Orbán responded with a firm rebuke: ‘The European Union is not a summer camp where all you need to do is fill out an application form.’ He stressed that enlargement is not an automatic process nor a geopolitical gesture of goodwill, but a collective decision of 27 sovereign states—requiring full unanimity.

Stefanishyna had argued, as shown in a screenshot Orbán attached, that EU treaties contain no provision allowing Hungary to block Ukraine’s membership talks. Orbán countered this by accusing Kyiv of interpreting European law based on ‘wishful thinking rather than reality.’

He emphasized that Hungary would not ignore concerns such as minority rights violations, the risk of escalating the war, or the potential harm to the European economy.

‘Ukraine still has a long way to go,’ Orbán added. ‘EU membership cannot be achieved through threats, blackmail, or bogus legal interpretations. Membership is only possible if it harms no member state’s interests and receives unanimous support.’

The statement underscores Hungary’s firm stance on EU enlargement and its growing friction with Ukraine over both bilateral and European issues.

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