Hungarian PM: Ukraine is not ready to join EU
Photo: Péter Magyar (Getty Images)
Ukraine is currently not ready to join the EU, and the accession process should take place strictly on general terms, with no expedited procedures, stated Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar, according to Index.
Responding to a question about supporting negotiations on Ukraine’s EU accession, the head of government explained that the sides had reached a political agreement to restore the Hungarian minority’s linguistic, educational, and cultural rights.
According to him, Budapest had demanded only basic rights for citizens to use their native language. Ukraine agreed and adopted an agreement with clearly defined deadlines, but there have been no practical results so far.
"We only asked for what belongs to every person — to be able to use their own language. Ukraine agreed to this and adopted this agreement, which sets specific deadlines. We do not see anything happening yet," Magyar said.
Assessing Ukraine’s readiness
He stressed that Budapest’s position remains unchanged: the accession process should be assessed exclusively based on the country’s actual merits. There should be no exceptional or expedited procedures.
Madyar also pointed out that EU leaders are wrong to promise fast-track membership.
"Ukraine, a country that is at war, is obviously not ready to join the EU, regardless of what the leaders of the EU or member states may try to promise Ukraine," the politician stressed.
The prime minister also cited Serbia as an example. The country began its accession process 15 years ago but has opened only two of six negotiating clusters. In his view, making illusory promises and singling out individual countries for political reasons is a "double game."
Earlier, on June 15, Ukraine opened the first of six negotiating clusters on its path to the European Union.
In early July, Hungary unblocked the sixth cluster, marking the first breakthrough after a prolonged period of obstruction by Budapest.
