Viktor Orbán Votes Against Ukraine Joining EU in National Poll

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán posted images of himself voting against Ukraine's accession to the European Union in a national survey, as he urged Hungarians to do the same.

Even before what was described as a national consultation on Tuesday, Orbán has publicly opposed Ukraine's aspirations for EU membership, which would consolidate Kyiv's ties in Western Europe.

Newsweek reached out to the Hungarian Foreign Ministry and the EU for comment.

Why It Matters

Orbán is Vladimir Putin's closest ally in the EU and has sought to block or delay EU packages for Kyiv's fight against Russia's aggression.

The process for joining the EU is long, complex, and requires unanimous approval from all member states at many different stages.

Orbán's push for fellow citizens to oppose Ukraine's accession will be seen as favoring Moscow, which will not want to see Kyiv strengthen its ties with allies.

What To Know

Days after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Kyiv applied for EU membership, and by June that year, the country was granted candidate status. Accession negotiations officially opened on June 25, 2024, at the same time as those with Moldova, another former Soviet state.

Orbán, leader of the Fidesz party, announced on March 5 that a consultation would be held in Hungary on citizens' support for Ukraine's EU membership.

On April 19, ballot papers were sent out to Hungarians, some of which explicitly urged them to vote against. The vote has no legal weight, but it is similar to others used by Eurosceptic Orbán.

Orbán has criticized both Brussels and Hungary's opposition Tisza party for supporting Kyiv's membership of the bloc, claiming it would harm Hungary's economy and sovereignty.

He posted a video clip on his Facebook page of him filling out a ballot paper and putting it in an envelope, accompanied by a caption that said Ukraine's accession would "destroy" the Hungarian economy.

However, recent polling shows public support for Ukraine's accession, with over half (58 percent) backing the move according to a vote conducted by the Tisza party. A poll on April 7 by the Republikon Institute found a narrow majority of Hungarians in favor of Ukraine joining the EU.

Orbán faces a tough challenge in next year's elections from Péter Magyar, leader of the Tisza party, which is ahead in the polls. In March, demonstrators took to the streets to oppose his rule and display their support for Magyar.

Balázs Trencsényi, a history professor at Central European University in Budapest and Vienna, told Newsweek that the survey on Ukraine's EU membership was a political ploy by Orbán ahead of next year's election, as he lags behind Magyar in the polls.

Trencsényi said that during the 2022 election, which Orbán won, the prime minister had stoked concerns about how the war in Ukraine would affect Hungary, and that only under his leadership would the country avoid getting entangled in the conflict.

Trencsényi said that for the 2026 ballot, Orbán will push Ukraine's EU accession, as well as LGBTQ+ rights, as campaign topics, which can force Magyar to take a stance that could endanger some of his support among right-wing voters who are otherwise opposed to the current prime minister.

"They have created these two traps to put Magyar into a situation that whatever he's doing, he might be actually losing some of his voters," he said.

What People Are Saying

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Facebook that Ukraine joining the EU "would destroy the Hungarian economy. Let's not allow them to decide our future over our heads! VOCS 2025. I have already voted."

What Happens Next

There is broad support in the rest of the EU for Ukraine's accession. Despite Orbán's consistent opposition, so far Brussels has been able to talk him down, with the Hungarian PM even leaving the room in December 2023 to allow fellow leaders to agree on the opening of talks.

But there are concerns he could toughen his position with U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House.

Agence France-Presse reported last week that EU officials fear Orbán will not budge this time, which, given the unanimity required among members for accession, poses a significant problem for Kyiv, unless he can be defeated in next year's election by Magyar, who backs Ukraine's membership.

Update 04/23/25, 1:49 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Balázs Trencsényi.