‘No Unity Among Members On This Matter’: Orban Cautions On Ukraine's EU Entry Bid

BUDAPEST (Sputnik) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that he discussed with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez the topic of Ukraine's admission to the European Union.

"I had a frank phone conversation today with Prime Minister @sanchezcastejon. My message was clear: we should refrain from discussing the issue of Ukraine’s EU accession during the December #EUCO, as there is no unity among member states on this matter," Orban wrote on X.

Orban was holding talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Thursday. One of the topics for discussion was the start of talks on Ukraine's accession to the EU, scheduled for mid-December.

Earlier, Orban said Budapest suggests that the issue of starting talks on Ukraine’s membership in the EU not be put on the agenda of the summit in December at all, since it is clear in advance that there will be no consent among the member countries. He also said Ukraine’s membership could be discussed in 5-10 years, if a strategic partnership deal is signed with Kiev.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told RIA Novosti in October that Hungary will not give its consent to the start of talks on Ukraine’s admission to the European Union until Kiev abolishes laws that discriminate against Transcarpathian Hungarians.