On Sunday 3 December, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on X (formerly Twitter) that the European Commission’s proposal for Ukraine to join the EU was “unfounded and poorly prepared” and that there was “no place for it on the agenda of the December European Council meeting”.
According to Mr Orbán, Ukraine’s accession “does not coincide with the interests of many Member States”. “No matter how much pressure is put on us, this issue should not be put on the agenda, and the European Commission should understand that it is its responsibility that the meeting was poorly prepared”, he warned, calling on the Commission to take back the proposal and prepare it properly.
When asked about this, the Commission’s spokeswoman, Ana Pisonero, explained that the Commission stood by its proposal and did not believe it to be unfounded. The Commission has proposed opening accession negotiations with Ukraine in December. She added that it was up to the Member States to take the decision.
Mr Orbán also pointed out that the Europeans had spent almost “€100 billion” on Ukraine. “If it were not for the Ukrainians, but for the development of Europe, the European economy would be in better condition”, he said, calling for money to be sent not to finance the war, but for a ceasefire and peace. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)