Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is increasing his asks. He is hoping to persuade Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to stop vetoing Ukraine’s attempts to join the European Union. Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Orban initially expressed support for Ukraine’s eventual accession to the EU. Over the past few months, in a complete about face, he’s become very aggressive in opposition. Today, he vigorously counters fears about Ukraine’s EU membership harming Hungary.
Orban argues that allowing Ukraine into the EU would lead to an influx of crime, cheap labor, and low-quality agricultural products. In his view, these dynamics would undermine Hungary’s national sovereignty and economic stability. In the context of Hungary’s upcoming national elections in 2026, Orban’s government has increasingly made efforts to frame the opposition to Ukraine’s EU membership as a political talking point.
Despite these challenges, Ukraine remains hopeful about its EU accession efforts, aiming to conclude negotiations by the end of 2028. The European Union has been vocally in favor of moving Ukraine into the next stage of EU accession negotiations. This comes amid rising criticism of rampant corruption in the country itself. The European Commission has welcomed the positive recent developments in Ukraine. Given these events, allegations of bribery and political payoffs have overshadowed the country’s commitment to a robust anti-corruption agenda.
Zelenskyy has actively defended Ukraine’s progress in combating corruption, stating, “We have implemented the widest, the broadest anticorruption infrastructure in Europe.” Skepticism still lingers, too, over the effectiveness of Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO). These organizations are being put under greater pressure from state and security services.
Orban’s government maintains a pro-Russian stance, and he has accused Brussels and Ukraine of attempting to manipulate Hungary’s policies. “Let’s be under no illusions: Brussels and Ukraine are jointly building up a puppet government [in Hungary],” he stated. Orban expressed concerns that external pressures could influence Hungary’s political landscape ahead of its elections, remarking, “They want to change Hungary’s policy towards Ukraine after the next elections, or even sooner.”
As tensions worsen, it’s still up to Zelenskyy to plead his case and win the support—such as Hungary’s—that could still prove crucial. “We are at war for our survival, and we would really like the prime minister of Hungary to support us, at least not block us,” he emphasized.
