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Hungary's Orban accuses Zelensky of 'moral blackmail' over Ukraine's EU bid

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Hungary's Orban accuses Zelensky of 'moral blackmail' over Ukraine's EU bid
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks at the end of the European Council Meeting on Dec. 19, 2024, in Brussels, Belgium. (Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images)

President Volodymyr Zelensky is employing a "tactic of moral blackmail" against Hungary to push Ukraine's bid for EU membership, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Oct. 6.

Orban's increasingly sharp rhetoric on Ukraine aligns with his anti-EU and nationalist messaging ahead of Hungary's 2026 parliamentary election.

"(Zelensky) is once again using his usual tactic of moral blackmail to push countries into supporting his war efforts," Orban wrote. "Hungary has no moral obligation to support Ukraine's EU accession."

"No country has ever blackmailed its way into the EU — and it won't happen this time either. The EU Treaty leaves no room for ambiguity: membership is decided by the member states, unanimously."

Orban cited a survey showing that most Hungarians allegedly oppose Ukraine's EU membership.

The poll has faced criticism over its credibility and transparency. Testing reportedly showed that respondents could vote multiple times using different email addresses.

Since 2010, Orban's government has conducted more than a dozen similar national consultations — non-binding letter campaigns with leading questions designed to reinforce government positions.

Ukraine applied for EU membership shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022 and was granted candidate status a few months later.

As an EU member, Hungary has the power to veto any future progress in Ukraine's accession process.

Orban, the EU's most openly pro-Russian leader, has maintained close ties with the Kremlin, repeatedly blocked or delayed military assistance to Ukraine, and echoed Kremlin narratives.

His government has been accused of weakening democratic institutions and aligning with Moscow.

The remark followed Zelensky's claim on Sept. 26 that reconnaissance drones, likely belonging to Hungary, violated Ukraine's airspace near the shared border.

In response to the allegations, Orban said Ukraine was "not a sovereign country."

Analysis: Ukraine support wavers — but Central Europe hasn’t fallen to Russia
The past streak of elections in Central Europe cast a gloomy picture for Ukraine and its supporters. The recent landslide win of populist billionaire Andrej Babis in the Czech elections sparked concerns that Prague might join Slovakia and Hungary in an “anti-Ukraine” bloc within the EU and NATO. Coupled with the Polish presidential election, the trend is undeniable: the once-steadfast support for Kyiv in much of Central Europe is weakening. But the conclusion — now often proclaimed by comment
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Tim Zadorozhnyy

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Tim Zadorozhnyy is a reporter at The Kyiv Independent, covering foreign policy, U.S.-Ukraine relations, and political developments across Europe and Russia. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations and European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa, working there for two years from the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. After relocating to Warsaw, he spent a year and a half at the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, initially as a news anchor and later as managing editor.

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