UPDATE: Hungary’s Viktor Orban indicates he could veto decision over Ukraine’s EU membership

UPDATE: Wednesday, November 22 at 6:59 pm

IN a letter addressed to Charles Michel, the head of the EU Council, the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban indicated that he would veto the upcoming EU decision on Ukraine’s accession to the EU.

Negotiations are scheduled to take place in December but Orban insisted that he could derail these talks unless European leaders do not agree to hold a strategic debate on their policy regarding Kyiv, according to portfolio.hu.

This discussion is considered by the Hungarian PM to be ‘urgent’ due to the development of the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine the news outlet reported this Wednesday, November 22.

Decisions cannot be made on key issues unless the EU leaders participate in this strategic debate he claimed. These included the opening of accession negotiations, more financial support to be provided to Ukraine or further sanctions against Russia.

A new dimension opened up in Orban’s ongoing argument with the EU when he questioned whether continued European support for Kiev could be assured if Washington were to suspend arms shipments and financial aid.

———————————————————-

Sunday, November 19 at 6:51 pm

THE Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has once again voiced his oppostion to Ukraine joining the EU.

Speaking after being reelected for the 11th time as president of the country’s Fidesz party, he insisted that Kyiv was ‘light years’ away from ever becoming a member of the bloc.

💥💥Congratulations to @PM_ViktorOrban on his re-election as the President of Fidesz & Kinga Gál, president of our Delegation, on her re-election as a vice president of #Fidesz at its 30th Congress! 🇭🇺 pic.twitter.com/Dbxoq6rmgF

— FideszEP (@FideszEP) November 18, 2023

‘Our task will be to correct the mistaken promise to start negotiations with Ukraine since Ukraine is now light years away from the European Union’, Orban insisted on Saturday, November 18, according to euronews.com.

Earlier this month, EU officials suggested that the Ukrainian government had shown: ‘a remarkable level of institutional strength, determination and ability to function’, and recommended that accession talks should begin.

These talks are scheduled for mid-December where officials are due to decide whether or not to offer Ukraine the opportunity to join the European Union. However, Orban seemed adamant that his government would ‘resist’ these talks.

Can Hungary prevent Ukraine joining the EU?

Before any new country can be invited to join the EU it requires a positive vote from every one of the bloc’s member states. That places Hungary in a very powerful position because should it refuse to vote in favour then Ukraine could not start the process of accession.

One of Orban’s arguments is that such a vote should not take place when it involves a country that is currently at war. By offering Ukraine the chance to join the bloc, it would reorient the EU’s system of distributing funds to member countries he claimed.

The Hungarian administration has been at loggerheads with the EU ever since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began. Known to be an ally of President Vladimir Putin, Orban has constantly fought to block aid packages from being sent to Kyiv.

Concerns that his government has failed to uphold rule-of-law and human rights standards in Hungary have led to billions in EU funding being withheld.

Hungary, along with Turkey, is also the only country that has not ratified Sweden’s application to join NATO. Officials in Budapest recently delayed any decision by asking Stockholm for an explanation over Swedish politicians publicly questioning Hungary’s stance on human rights.

During a speech this Sunday 19, the newly-reelected PM highlighted Hungary’s lack of a migrant problem compared to the situations that other European countries currently find themselves in. Finland recently closed four border crossing points with Russia due to an upsurge in asylum seekers.

‘The Hungarian model works! Many people in Western Europe would give half their lives if they could have a country without illegal migrants again. In Hungary we have zero #ILLEGALimmigrants. Only those can come whom we let in’, he detailed.

The Hungarian model works! Many people in Western Europe would give half their lives if they could have a country without illegal migrants again. In Hungary we have zero #ILLEGALimmigrants. Only those can come whom we let in. pic.twitter.com/qGWgrmnDuu

— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) November 18, 2023

[freshpress-poll id=”458559″]