Hungary actually blocks the course of Ukraine towards European integration, but the European Union is increasingly recognizing the need to revise its unanimous decision -making process.
Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ohryzko said an interview With Ukrinform.
“Currently, the European Union has no formal mechanisms to be over a single member of a single member – its decision -making process remains linked by the principle of unanimity. This poses an important challenge, that which the EU now fully recognizes,” said the diplomat.
He noted that the position of Hungary – in contradiction with the collective position of the EU – could encourage Brussels to adopt informal but effective countermeasures.
“We will soon be able to see the suspension of financial aid of a value of tens of billions of euros, without which Hungary cannot support itself for a long time. Another possible measure is to restrict Hungarian voting rights. If that occurs, Budapest’s position will simply lose its weight-the period,” he said.
Ohryzko also stressed that the increasingly pro-Russian rhetoric of the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, suggesting that a change in the position of Hungary on Ukraine is unlikely without change of leadership, which could occur after the elections of next year.
According to the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, the EU EU membership talks have actually started.
“Based on our information from Brussels, the preparations for the negotiation process are already underway – it will take place in parallel with Moldova, although informally. In my opinion, the negotiations of all the clusters will start even before a formal political decision.
Commenting on kyiv’s response to Hungary’s actions, Ohryzko stressed that the official position of Ukraine should be much firmer
“For too long, we have shown a level of restraint that Hungary does not deserve,” said Ohryzko, adding that his current Prime Minister openly aligns with Pro-Moscow rhetoric.
He added that Ukraine has all the right to publicly attack Hungary’s historic responsibility for its involvement in Nazi crimes committed on Ukrainian territory during the Second World War.
“We are fully right to raise these questions-not out of revenge, but in the name of historical memory and contemporary political responsibility. Everything you need is political will,” he concluded.
As previously indicated by Ukrinform, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán claims that 95% of respondents in the “national consultations” of the Government VOKS-2025 were opposed to the membership of Ukraine to the European Union.
