Brussels is considering admitting Ukraine to the European Union as early as 2027, before accession criteria are met, according to Századvég, whose latest survey finds that three quarters of EU citizens oppose the initiative.
Viktor Orbán has backed AfD co-chair Alice Weidel’s demand that Ukraine pay reparations for the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, retweeting her speech in which she vowed to make Kyiv ‘repay’ the damage. The intervention follows mounting evidence of Ukrainian involvement in the 2022 explosions and adds to growing pressure on European governments to confront responsibility for the attack.
Viktor Orbán has warned that Ukraine is trying to influence Hungary’s election by escalating attacks on his government over EU accession and war funding. After Zelenskyy said leaders like Orbán ‘deserve a smack’, FM Andrii Sybiha accused Budapest of serving Putin and likened Orbán to WWII-era far-right leader Ferenc Szálasi. Hungary says both Brussels and Kyiv are interfering in April’s vote.
Hungarian Conservative and POLITICO have obtained an 18-page document shared with the attendees of the EU Summit in Brussels, which propses $800 billion to be raised in public and private grants, debt, and investment to fund the recovery of Ukraine after the war in the next ten years. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary has forcefully spoken out against the plan.
‘In the case of Ukraine and Spain, it also produces circumstantial parallels that obscure the unbridgeable gap between the very natures of the two conflicts, conflating the ideological antagonisms of the 1930s at their most nationally internecine with a globalized, technological war for territory. Far from far-sighted, the mantra that Europe should re-learn forgotten lessons or resign itself to perish here becomes dangerously myopic.’
Hungary’s Ministry for European Union Affairs has warned that Brussels’s expanding financing plans for Ukraine could translate into major budgetary pressure, reduced EU funding, and new policy demands hitting Hungarian households. European Affairs Minister János Bóka said the Commission’s approach points to ‘tax increases and cutbacks’ at home.
‘Commissioner Kubilius’ proposal for “rotating” membership in the envisaged Council amounts to an outright disregard for the Treaties—under such a plan, some countries would commit their armed forces to a “United Army of Europe” while having no say in its command. This idea violates not only the spirit of the EU Treaties but also fundamental democratic principles…’
Hungary’s Sovereignty Protection Office says a leaked database linked to the Tisza Party raises serious national security concerns, alleging connections to Ukrainian IT firms, foreign cyber infrastructure and the handling of sensitive data of Hungarian voters.
Russia’s claim that Ukraine attempted a drone attack on President Vladimir Putin’s residence has cast a shadow over fragile peace talks just as negotiations appeared to be nearing a breakthrough. While Kyiv denies the allegation and Washington urges caution, the incident risks hardening positions in Moscow and derailing momentum towards a settlement.
‘The report highlights Europe’s growing strategic weakness relative to Asia and the United States, pointing to persistent failures in innovation, a deep aversion to risk, and a regulatory mindset…According to the report, the heavy emphasis on procurement rules and compliance does not foster the technological breakthroughs required for modern warfare.’