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Orbán Blocks Ukraine’s EU Accession Talks at European Council Summit
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![Photo of Liubava Petriv]( "Photo of Liubava Petriv")
On June 26, the European Council issued a statement reaffirming its continued support for Ukraine amid Russia’s ongoing aggression. While 26 out of 27 EU member states endorsed the declaration, the Council was unable to reach full unanimity due to Hungary’s opposition.
The statement, published on the Council’s official website, calls for an immediate ceasefire by Russia, the introduction of new sanctions targeting the Kremlin and its shadow fleet, and continued support for Ukraine’s path toward EU membership. EU leaders emphasized that any future peace agreement must include concrete and lasting security guarantees for Ukraine.
The Council also pledged to assist in preparing and equipping Ukraine’s Armed Forces and to provide sustained financial support. As part of this long-term commitment, Ukraine is expected to receive approximately $32.8 billion in assistance in 2025.
Despite the broad consensus, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán publicly voiced his objection to Ukraine’s accession to the EU. Speaking to reporters ahead of the summit in Brussels, Orbán argued that allowing Ukraine to join the bloc would mean “integrating a war” into the EU.
“If we bring Ukraine into the EU, we integrate the war. And we don’t want to be part of a community with a country at war, one that poses a direct threat to us. Because if an EU member is at war, it means the EU is at war. We don’t like that,” Orbán said.
Other EU leaders praised Ukraine’s reform efforts, noting “significant progress” in areas linked to the accession process. The Council acknowledged the European Commission’s assessment that Ukraine is ready to open negotiations in the “Foundations of EU Accession” cluster. However, formal talks cannot begin without the unanimous agreement of all 27 member states, and the issue will be revisited at a future summit.
Previously, it was reported that EU member states will discuss the potential application of Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union against Hungary. The measure could strip the country of its voting rights within the bloc if it is deemed at risk of seriously breaching core EU values.
