This month, 1,000 people chose to support the Kyiv Independent. Can we count on you, too?
Become a member
Skip to content
Edit post

Orban rails against Ukraine, says Kyiv is 'light years' away from EU membership

by The Kyiv Independent news desk November 18, 2023 11:30 PM 1 min read
This audio is created with AI assistance

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Nov. 18 he believes that talks between the EU and Ukraine on its accession would be a mistake because Ukraine is "light years away" from being ready for membership, Magyar Hirlap, a Hungarian media outlet, reported.

At a Nov. 18 meeting of the Fidesz party, Orban focused part of his speech on the EU, railing against the "machinations of Brussels bureaucrats," the "invasion of migrants," "gender propaganda," "the illusions of war" and "Ukraine's ill-prepared membership in the EU."  

Hungary has threatened to block talks on Ukraine's accession and is blocking 500 million euros in aid to compensate EU states for the weapons they sent to Ukraine.

Despite being in the EU, Budapest, under Orban's government, has frequently aligned with Moscow on messaging about the full-scale invasion and aid for Kyiv. A key friction point was Ukraine placing Hungary's largest bank, OTP Bank, on the list of "war sponsors."  

While Ukraine bowed to Hungary's demands to take OTP Bank off that list in October, Budapest continued to veto the 500 million euro tranche, saying Ukraine has not provided guarantees that the situation with OTP Bank or any other Hungarian company will not happen again.

This Week in Ukraine Ep. 34 – What’s wrong with Hungary?
Episode #34 is dedicated to why Hungary’s pro-Russian government is blocking Ukraine’s European integration.
Let’s see how far we can go?
We’ve been amazed by your support. We’ve reached our initial goal of finding 1,000 new paying members. We still have till the end of our birthday campaign — with more support, we can do even more good journalism. Over 13,000 people are standing behind us. Can we count on you, too?
Show us support this birthday month
Become a member
visa masterCard americanExpress

News Feed

4:06 PM

Politico lists Yermak, Putin among Europe's most influential people.

Politico presented on Dec. 10 its end-of-the-year list of the most influential people in Europe, with President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak and Russian President Vladimir Putin among the finalists for the "dreamers" and "doers" categories, respectively.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.