The war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year, has cost the Hungarian people approximately $24.5 million (HUF 9,000 billion). However, according to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Ukraine’s full accession to the European Union would impose an even greater financial burden, amounting to around $1,300 (HUF 500,000) per Hungarian household per year. He presented these calculations in a recent video posted on X.
‘Brussels wants Hungarians to pay the bill, but no decision will be made without the voice of the Hungarian people,’ Orbán stated, emphasizing that a public vote is currently underway in Hungary on Ukraine’s EU bid. He reminded that a candidate country can only join the EU if all member states unanimously agree, and he reaffirmed that he will block any fast-track accession process for Kyiv until the Hungarian people express their position. ‘This decision belongs to our citizens, not Brussels!’ he concluded.
Public Vote on Ukraine
Ukraine applied for EU membership on 28 February 2022, shortly after Russia’s invasion, and was granted official candidate status in June of that year. On 13 December 2024 EU leaders agreed to open accession negotiations with Ukraine. Rather than vetoing the decision in the Council, Orbán chose to leave the room during the vote, stating that while Hungary did not support Ukraine’s membership, it would not prevent other member states from moving forward. In return, the European Commission released a significant portion of previously frozen EU funds allocated to Hungary.
Following an emergency summit on 6 March—where Hungary vetoed a joint conclusion that included continued support for Ukraine—Orbán announced that his government would initiate a public consultation on the matter. ‘We are not prepared for this, so I believe we need to slow down and ensure that we gather the people’s views on this issue,’ he stated.
Speaking to Kossuth Radio after the summit, Orbán reiterated Hungary’s opposition to Ukraine’s accession, warning of its potentially devastating economic and security consequences not only for Hungary but for the entire European economy. He pointed to the near-collapse of Hungary’s agricultural sector following the partial opening of trade between Ukraine and the EU, identifying agriculture as the most vulnerable industry if full membership proceeds. Additionally, he raised security concerns, noting the large number of armed individuals in Ukraine and the potential risks associated with unrestricted movement into Hungary.
Eastern Europe Against Ukraine’s EU Bid
Orbán is not alone in his concerns. Farmers across Europe, particularly in Eastern European countries, have already experienced the consequences of increased Ukrainian agricultural imports. The uncontrolled influx of Ukrainian grain into EU markets was a key factor behind months-long farmers’ protests in nearly every EU capital in 2023 and 2024.
Public sentiment across the region reflects similar skepticism. A 10 March survey found that 56 per cent of Hungarians oppose Ukraine’s EU bid. Similar trends are evident elsewhere in Eastern Europe. As Kyiv Independent reported in January, only around 35 per cent of Poles support Ukraine’s NATO and EU membership, with nearly half opposing it. A survey from April 2024 showed that 40 per cent of Czechs and 46 per cent of Slovaks are also against Ukraine's accession. Austria, Bulgaria, and Greece are among other EU countries where public opinion remains firmly against Kyiv’s rapid integration into the bloc.
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