English
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán declared Saturday that Hungary holds the key to Ukraine’s ambitions of joining the European Union, further intensifying his confrontational stance toward the war-torn country.
Addressing party members and supporters during his annual State of the Nation speech in Budapest, Orbán referred to Ukraine as a buffer zone between Russia and NATO. He predicted that even after Russia’s war ends, Ukraine would return to this role, despite its aspirations to join the Western military alliance.
“Whether Ukraine will ever become a member of the European Union is up to Hungary,” Orbán stated. “Without Hungary’s consent, Ukraine will never gain EU membership. Its accession would devastate Hungarian farmers and, beyond that, the entire Hungarian economy.”
Since EU membership requires unanimous approval from all 27 member states, Hungary’s opposition poses a major obstacle.
Orbán, known as the EU leader with the closest ties to the Kremlin, has repeatedly obstructed the bloc’s efforts to support Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s full-scale invasion. Although he has often criticized EU sanctions against Moscow and threatened to veto them, he has ultimately voted in favor of the measures.
While Hungary has offered refuge to Ukrainians fleeing the war, it has simultaneously blocked EU financial aid to Kyiv and sought to strengthen economic and energy ties with Russia.
Questioning Ukraine’s sovereignty, Orbán claimed the ongoing war was “not about Ukraine itself, but about the territory called Ukraine — which has served as a buffer zone between NATO and Russia — falling under NATO’s control.”
“Whatever remains of Ukraine after the war will once again serve as a buffer zone,” he added. “It will not join NATO.”
Orbán’s remarks echoed recent comments from U.S. officials aligned with former President Donald Trump, who have suggested Ukraine should abandon its NATO ambitions as a means of securing future protection against Russia.
A close ally of Trump, Orbán has praised the U.S. administration’s decision to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), alleging — without evidence — that the agency financed liberal movements aimed at overthrowing his government.
Vowing to crack down on NGOs, media outlets, and rights groups that received USAID funding, Orbán warned of legal consequences and announced plans to send a commissioner to the United States to gather information on Hungarian organizations that benefited from the agency’s support.
“We must urgently establish constitutional and legal measures to prevent so-called civil society organizations from promoting foreign interests and staging political actions before our very eyes,” Orbán declared.
He also called for further amendments to Hungary’s constitution — which his party drafted and passed in 2011 — to legally define individuals strictly as either male or female. Additionally, he hinted at potential measures to block the annual LGBTQ+ Pride parade in Budapest.
“We need to take the offensive,” he stated. “I advise Pride organizers not to waste their time preparing this year’s march — it would be a waste of both money and effort.”
