Hungary blocks first stage of Ukraine-EU accession talks
Заступник міністра закордонних справ Угорщини Левенте Мадяр. Фото: Facebook / Magyar Levente
Hungary has blocked the opening of the first cluster of negotiations on Ukraine's European Union membership, known as "Fundamentals," which focuses on the rule of law.
This information was reported by journalists from the Polish outlet RMF24, citing an EU diplomat.
Poland, currently holding the presidency of the EU Council, proposed a letter outlining the conditions for opening the "Fundamentals" cluster, which was to be presented to Ukraine. The letter emphasized the need for two roadmaps:
- Reforms in the field of the rule of law
- Public administration reforms
However, Hungary was the only delegation to oppose the adoption of this letter, insisting that Ukraine also submit a plan for the protection of national minorities.
This opposition could delay the opening of negotiations in April, as two more procedural decisions must be adopted before then—both of which could also be blocked.
Hungary's stance is likely linked to its ongoing grievances with Kyiv, conveyed by Hungarian Deputy Foreign Minister Levente Magyar during a visit to Ukraine.
Magyar accuses the "Kyiv nationalist government" of restricting the rights of ethnic Hungarians in Transcarpathia, particularly their ability to use their native language. Despite these concerns, he noted that after Russia's full-scale invasion, Hungary chose to set aside these disputes and assist Ukraine, offering refuge to Ukrainian refugees and launching humanitarian aid efforts.
However, Magyar also alleged that Ukraine is supporting and funding actions aimed at discrediting the Hungarian government. According to him, Hungarian intelligence services made this claim during a closed parliamentary committee meeting last week, describing Kyiv's actions as "a stab in the back."
"Hungary remains interested in maintaining good relations with Ukraine," Magyar stated, "but for this to happen, Ukraine must fulfill two conditions: restore the rights taken from Transcarpathian Hungarians and immediately cease all activities against the Hungarian government, returning to sincere dialogue."
He warned that if Kyiv failed to address these issues, Budapest could use its veto power to block Ukraine's EU accession talks.
Hungary's stance on Ukraine
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has consistently taken an openly anti-Ukrainian stance, frequently making statements aimed at discrediting Ukraine.
Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Hungary has refused to provide military assistance to Ukraine and has repeatedly blocked EU sanctions against Russia. Budapest also continues to engage in trade with Russia, and Hungarian officials have made visits to Moscow.
Hungary regularly creates obstacles to Ukraine's integration into the EU and NATO. It also blocked the allocation of €50 billion in EU financial aid to Ukraine.
Notably, on May 3, the head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, Andrii Yermak, reported a phone call with Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó as part of an ongoing dialogue. They discussed key aspects of Ukrainian-Hungarian relations and planned further steps to strengthen cooperation.
Additionally, in January 2025, Szijjártó threatened to block Ukraine's EU accession in response to draft law No. 12380, introduced in the Ukrainian parliament. The bill proposes banning the transit of Russian oil and gas through Ukraine during martial law.
