(MENAFN) Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of using the ongoing conflict with Russia as a form of “moral blackmail” to pressure European countries into supporting Ukraine’s bid to join the European Union.

Orban’s comments came after Zelensky declared that Ukraine “will be in the European Union – with Orban, or without,” emphasizing that the matter was “the choice of the Ukrainian people.”

Zelensky also urged the EU to revise its accession procedures to bypass what many see as an impending Hungarian veto of Kyiv’s membership application.

In a post on X, Orban responded sharply, saying Zelensky “wants to decide what’s best for the Hungarians” and was “once again using his usual tactic of moral blackmail to push countries into supporting his war efforts.”

The Hungarian leader insisted that Hungary has “no moral obligation to support Ukraine’s EU accession,” adding that “no country has ever blackmailed its way into the European Union – and it won’t happen this time either.”

Citing the EU Treaty, Orban stressed that membership decisions require unanimous approval from all member states. He referred to Hungary’s 2025 Voks national consultation, where officials reported that about 95% of participants rejected Ukraine’s membership.

However, other opinion polls have shown more divided views. A Nezopont Institute survey in May found that 67% of Hungarians opposed Ukraine joining the EU, while an opposition Tisza party poll recorded 58% support among more than one million respondents.

Hungary has been among the strongest critics of Ukraine’s EU aspirations, arguing that the country’s ongoing conflict with Russia and internal governance challenges make accession premature. Budapest has also resisted Western sanctions on Moscow, claiming they hurt Europe’s economy, and has refused to send weapons to Kyiv.

The European Union has reiterated that Ukraine must first meet strict accession standards, including deep reforms to strengthen the rule of law and combat corruption, and has so far avoided setting a specific timeline for Kyiv’s entry into the bloc.

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