Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó declared on August 6 that “Ukraine has no place in the European Union,” bluntly dismissing Kyiv as “not one of the civilized states” and asserting its accession would harm, not help, the bloc. Speaking on the program Harcosok Órája, he accused Ukraine of institutionalising forced conscription, including beatings and the death of Hungarian citizen József Sebestyén in Transcarpathia and claimed Ukrainian authorities refused to investigate the case, effectively acknowledging the abuse as state policy.
Szijjártó argued that admitting a country at war and accused of such practices would import conflict into the EU and weaken it, citing Ukraine’s conflict with Russia as contrary to EU interests. He further condemned EU leadership for silence, accusing Brussels of tacitly endorsing forced conscription by remaining mute on the death of a Hungarian national. Unsparing in tone, he insisted Ukrainian membership is unacceptable “no matter what threats President Zelensky makes,” citing concerns over rights violations against Hungary’s minority in Transcarpathia, and asserting that Hungarian taxpayers should not underwrite Kyiv’s membership.
Szijjártó’s remarks reinforce Budapest’s leading role in blocking Ukraine’s EU entry, aligning with the government’s broader political posture under Viktor Orbán. This stance has intensified as Hungary resists EU enlargement and continues nationalist messaging ahead of its 2026 election, portraying Ukraine and Brussel as threats to Hungary’s sovereignty and social fabric.
