Ukraine's existence is in Hungary's national interest, Orban says as he continues to oppose EU aid to Kyiv

Having Ukraine separate Hungary from Russia is in Budapest's interest, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in an interview with Hetek published Oct. 4.

"The good thing is that there is a territory between Hungary and Russia that is now called Ukraine. This is a strategic interest of Hungary that Ukraine exists. This is not a geopolitical point of view... But from the point of view of the Hungarian national interest," Orban said in an interview.

Despite Orban's latest remarks, the Hungarian leader on Sept. 29 claimed that Ukraine is not a sovereign state amid allegations from Kyiv that Hungarian drones had violated Ukraine's airspace.

Orban has repeatedly voiced opposition to Ukraine's EU bid and for the bloc's support to Kyiv as it fends off Russia's war. Hungarian authorities are widely considered the most Moscow-friendly within the EU.

"We support a strategic agreement with Ukraine. A strategic agreement between the EU and Ukraine. Not a membership, but an agreement," Orban said in the interview.

On Oct. 3, Orban said that Hungary will oppose Ukraine's accession to the EU, claiming that admitting Kyiv would drag the bloc into war with Russia.

"Ukraine is a country with a very difficult fate. Why should we share in this difficult fate? We have our own fate, which is much easier than that of the Ukrainians," he said.

Orban on Oct. 3 also voiced opposition to the EU providing Ukraine with long-term military and financial aid, calling it "an illusion" based on false assumptions about Russia's economic collapse.

Hungary has repeatedly vetoed EU sanctions against Moscow in response to Russia's war against Ukraine and is currently preventing progress in Ukraine's EU accession.

In response, EU officials are exploring reforms to the bloc's unanimous decision-making process, which would allow accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova to continue despite the Hungarian veto, Politico reported on Sept. 29.

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The Kyiv IndependentOleksiy Sorokin