Orbán to Zelensky: No country has ever blackmailed its way into the European Union

"Hungary is under no moral obligation to support Ukraine's accession to the EU. No country has ever blackmailed its way into the European Union – and it will not happen now either," Viktor Orbán wrote in a Facebook post in response to Volodymyr Zelensky's Kyiv press conference held on Monday.

The Ukrainian president had said that Ukraine's membership in the European Union was only a question of time, "with or without Viktor Orbán." According to Zelensky, Ukraine's accession will happen regardless, and the Hungarian prime minister trying to slow down Ukraine's EU accession will only be remembered in the annals of history. He also said that “every country needs to put pressure on the Hungarian prime minister.”

Viktor Orbán did not leave this unanswered. According to him, Zelensky is once again using his well-known tactic: “he's trying to blackmail a country into supporting his war efforts.”

Orbán added that the EU Treaty clearly states that "membership is decided by the member states, unanimously." He said that the Hungarian people had already made their decision, with the overwhelming majority saying no to Ukraine's EU membership in the VOKS 2025 referendum organized by the government. It should be added that the opinion poll he referenced is not legally binding. "If President Zelensky wishes to change this, launching a media campaign against Hungary is probably not the best way to make friends"- he wrote.

“Show more respect for Hungarians, President Zelensky!" – Tamás Menczer, Fidesz's communications director wrote in response to the Ukrainian president's words on the same day, adding that contrary to Zelensky's statement, what Hungarians say does, in fact matter.