PM Orban: Blocking Ukraine’s EU Accession Is Vital—Membership Would Mean Europe Is at War

“A very thorough analysis has emerged outlining how to remove the obstacles standing in the way of Ukraine’s EU accession in 2027,” Prime Minister Viktor Orban said. According to PM Orban, those so-called “obstacles” are, in reality, Hungary itself. The prime minister stressed that Ukraine’s EU membership would draw Europe directly into the war, which is why blocking accession is a matter of survival.

According to a video shared by political analyst Daniel Deak, at the campaign stop in Szentendre, PM Orban explained that the fresh analysis describes how to eliminate the barriers to Ukraine’s European Union membership by 2027. He emphasized that these “barriers” are not technical in nature but political—and that they essentially mean Hungary.

Photo: Prime Minister’s Communications Office / Akos Kaiser

As previously reported, Politico published the five-point “Zelensky Plan,” designed to accelerate Ukraine’s planned EU accession by 2027.

The EU is considering granting Ukraine partial membership 

so that it could take part in EU decision-making as soon as possible while continuing reforms required for full membership. Several elements of the plan explicitly address the prospect of a change of government in Hungary, expressing hope that if Peter Magyar, leader of the Tisza Party, were to become prime minister, all obstacles to Ukraine’s EU accession would be removed.

Ukraine’s EU Membership Would Make Europe Part of the War

According to the prime minister, Hungary’s position is clear and consistent: Ukraine’s accession to the European Union would mean Europe’s entry into the war. As he noted, there has never been a situation in which the EU admitted a country actively engaged in a war with an external power while other member states stood by passively.

In PM Orban’s words, 

if Ukraine were an EU member today, Europe would already be a direct participant in the armed conflict.

For this reason, he stressed, it is a matter of survival that Ukraine not be admitted to either NATO or the European Union, because such a decision would plunge Europe into war by its own hand.

The prime minister summed up Hungary’s resistance by saying it is not obstructionism but a stand for peace: preventing Ukraine’s accession is also about preventing Europe from being pushed irreversibly onto a path toward war.

What Is the Zelensky Plan?

Based on Politico’s reporting, five steps have been identified to implement the plan:

1. Preparing Ukraine: Several elements of the six negotiation 'clusters' have already been shared informally with Kyiv, with guidance on additional clusters to be presented in March. EU officials emphasize there will be no shortcuts on reforms; the real power of accession lies in transformation.
2.  Creating “EU Membership-Lite” (Partial Membership): The concept of reverse integration—raised even before Ursula von der Leyen—would grant rights and obligations gradually after accession. This would not lower standards but would send a political message to war-torn countries. Moldova seeks full membership as the end goal, while Albania is open to creative solutions (such as temporarily forgoing its own commissioner). Germany opposes multi-tier membership, fearing unmet promises, but support from France, Italy, and Poland could sway Berlin.

3: Wait for Viktor Orban’s departure: According to Politico, the biggest obstacle to accession is Viktor Orban, who can veto enlargement since unanimity is required. PM Orban opposes Ukraine’s accession, has called the country hostile, and considers it corrupt. With elections scheduled in Hungary in April, Brussels hopes that if Orban loses, a successor such as Peter Magyar might take a softer line and help usher Ukraine into the EU.

4: Playing the Trump card: If Orban remains in office, Brussels is placing its hopes in Orban ally Donald Trump, who is seeking a peace deal. If a 2027 accession date is included in such a deal, Trump could pressure Budapest—at least according to the expectations of the Brussels elite. Zelensky has also suggested that the U.S. could guarantee that no one blocks accession.

5. Suspending Hungary’s voting rights as a last resort: If all else fails, Article 7 proceedings could be launched against Hungary for alleged violations of EU values, suspending its voting rights and effectively bypassing the veto.

Hungary Will Choose Its Fate in April

Beyond the Zelensky Plan, PM Orban also spoke in Szentendre about the upcoming election, emphasizing that Hungarians will not merely be choosing a government in April, but also the fate of their country.

“This will be a fate-deciding election,” he said. “We are not simply choosing a government—we are choosing a destiny."

"Hungary’s fate for the next ten, twenty, perhaps even thirty years will be decided.”

He explained that European leaders have already made the decision that between 2026 and 2030, Europe will go to war.

“I am preparing for the fact that sometime between 2026 and 2030, the parliament and government in office will face an extremely difficult decision about Hungary’s position in an open Russian-European conflict,” PM Orban  said. “I propose that we elect a parliament with a majority 

capable of saying no to Europe in such a situation—and capable of standing firm that Hungary will not take part in the war, 

will not send weapons, will not send money, and will not send troops.”

The prime minister also reiterated that anyone claiming Hungary can abandon Russian energy while maintaining utility price cuts is not telling the truth.

Construction and Transport Minister Janos Lazar followed the speech from the audience, later remarking that standing on stage is far more difficult than sitting in the crowd.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Orban met in Leanyfalu with MP Eszter Vitalyos and Minister Lazar, along with mayors from the Danube Bend region, to discuss development plans.

Cover photo: Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban campaigning in Szentendre (Photo: Prime Minister’s Communications Office / Ákos Kaiser)