Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged Hungary to stop obstructing Kyiv’s bid for European Union membership, after Brussels recommended moving forward with Ukraine’s accession process despite persistent concerns about corruption.
Speaking at a forum on EU enlargement organized by Euronews, Zelenskyy called on Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to support Ukraine in its war against Russia—or ‘at least not block us.’ ‘We are at war for our survival, and we would really like the prime minister of Hungary to support us,’ he said.
The European Commission released its annual enlargement reports on Tuesday, evaluating the readiness of candidate countries including Ukraine, Serbia, and Montenegro. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos praised Kyiv’s efforts to fight corruption but noted that ‘more work remains to be done.’
The Commission warned of ‘backsliding’ and said only ‘limited progress’ had been achieved in combating corruption, citing political and security service pressure on independent watchdogs. ‘These developments cast doubts on Ukraine’s commitment to its anti-corruption agenda,’ the report stated.
Despite these reservations, Kos urged EU governments to give the green light for formal membership negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. ‘If the candidate states are delivering, then the EU should deliver, too,’ she emphasized.
Zelenskyy defended his government’s record, claiming Ukraine now possesses ‘the broadest anti-corruption infrastructure in Europe’ and is doing ‘everything possible’ to meet EU standards. Kyiv aims to complete accession talks by the end of 2028.
However, beyond corruption, another major obstacle stands in the way of Ukraine’s EU accession: the opposition of Prime Minister Orbán and the Hungarian government, which has pledged to block every attempt to integrate Kyiv into the bloc. Budapest argues that Ukraine’s membership would have negative economic, security, and social consequences for the EU.
Ukraine has also become a key issue in Hungary’s electoral campaign ahead of the 2026 parliamentary elections. Orbán and the ruling Fidesz party accuse the leading opposition force, Tisza, of aligning with Zelenskyy and the European Commission to undermine the Hungarian government and pave the way for a more pro-European, pro-Ukraine leadership that would vote in favour of Kyiv’s accession.
Reacting to Zelenskyy, Orbán defended Hungary’s record of support for Ukraine in a post on X, listing extensive humanitarian and logistical assistance since the outbreak of the war.‘Hungary has taken in refugees, treated wounded soldiers and children, rebuilt schools and kindergartens in Ukraine, and was even the country’s largest electricity supplier last year,’ the prime minister wrote, adding that Budapest has spent a total of 200 million euros on aid.
Orbán stressed that Ukraine’s EU support packages also include Hungarian taxpayers’ money, and firmly rejected the notion that Hungary owes anything to its neighbour. He argued that Hungary’s security is ensured by its own defence capabilities and NATO membership, not by Ukraine. Reiterating his opposition to Ukraine’s EU accession, Orbán said that such a move would ‘bring the war into Europe and take the money of Hungarians out to Ukraine,’ proposing instead a strategic partnership without full membership.
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