- Zelenskyy called on Orbán to end the blocking of access to the EU.
- The president said that Ukraine is fighting for European security before Russia.
- Moldovan President Sandu is demanding solutions for her country’s accession process.
- The European Commission recognized Moldova’s significant progress on the path to EU membership.
- Orbán’s veto hinders the opening of chapters of accession negotiations between Ukraine and Moldova.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr On Tuesday, Zelensky called on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to stop blocking Ukraine’s accession processes to the European Union. At an event organized by Euronews television, he called it a “specific kind of support” for Russian President Vladimir Putin, reports TASR.
“We are fighting for our survival and we would very much like the Hungarian Prime Minister to support us, or at least not block us,” said Zelenskyi. “I don’t think I have anything to offer Viktor Orbán. I think Viktor Orbán has something to offer Ukraine, which protects all of Europe from Russia,” he stated.
The Ukrainian president pointed out that Kyiv has not received any support from Orbán since the beginning of the war. “We wouldn’t want Viktor to support Russia, because blocking Ukraine in the EU is a very specific support from Viktor for Putin. That’s definitely not good. That’s my subjective opinion.” he explained.
Zelenskyi clarified that he also discussed Hungary’s veto on opening accession processes with US President Donald Trump, who, according to him, expressed support for Ukraine’s membership in the EU. According to his words, the head of the White House understands that this is the will of the Ukrainian people.
Ukraine applied for membership in the European Union in February 2022, shortly after the Russian invasion began. The following year, the Hungarian Prime Minister did not veto the opening of accession negotiations with Ukraine. However, it blocks the start of negotiations on the so-called “clusters”, i.e. groups of thematically divided access chapters. The veto also concerns the accession process of Moldova, which is paired with Ukraine in this matter.
Sanduová sees Moldova in the EU by 2030
Moldovan President Maia Sanduová on Tuesday called on the member states of the European Union to open negotiations on the so-called “clusters”, i.e. groups of thematically divided access chapters. She would like to see her country as a member of the EU in 2030. During her visit to Brussels, the President of Moldova declared that Moldova is ready to implement key reforms, including the judiciary and the energy sector. TASR informs about it according to Euronews television.
Moldova, according to a report published by the European Commission on Tuesday it advanced on its path to Eurobloc membership “at an accelerated pace and significantly deepened its cooperation with the EU despite constant hybrid threats and attempts to destabilize the country and its European orientation”. However, Moldova is prevented from further progress in accession negotiations by Hungary’s veto, which, however, is primarily aimed at Ukraine. Kyiv and Chisinau are paired in the accession process and therefore the veto applies to both states.
“We need solutions within the next few months,” she said. The Commission expects Moldova to fulfill the conditions for opening the remaining three clusters by the end of this year, which would allow the country to continue with its plan. Sanduová warned that if her country is not offered a realistic perspective in the EU, Moldova may subsequently be used by authoritarian regimes against the Union. According to her, the accession of Moldova is therefore also in the interest of the EU.
