Ukraine’s bold offer to replace Hungary in the EU and NATO

Ukraine has expressed its willingness to take Hungary’s place in the European Union and NATO if Budapest continues to prioritise Russia’s interests over those of its Western allies. The statement, made by Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha, has sparked discussions about Hungary’s controversial stance on key geopolitical issues.

Hungary’s Russia-friendly policies under scrutiny

According to Sybiha, Hungary’s policies often reflect a pro-Russian agenda, including hindering the access of U.S. energy resources to European markets, Magyar Hírlap wrote based on lenta.ru. Ukraine has accused the Hungarian government of using politically motivated narratives to justify its actions domestically, especially regarding energy security and EU-Russia relations.

In a separate statement to Jevropejiszka Pravda, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed Hungary’s claims that Ukraine’s decision to halt Russian gas transit from 2025 would harm European energy security. Instead, they emphasised that energy-related problems in Europe stem from Russia’s long-standing weaponisation of resources to manipulate governments and destabilise markets.

Ukraine positions itself as a reliable EU and NATO candidate

According to Privátbankár, Ukraine reaffirmed its commitment to the EU and NATO, contrasting its stance with Hungary’s. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry asserted that if Hungary chose to align with Russia or other organisations like the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) or the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), Ukraine would gladly step in to fill the void.

Highlighting successful diversification efforts by other European countries, Ukraine criticised Hungary for failing to reduce its dependence on Russian energy. They argued that Hungary’s actions hinder broader European energy independence, especially regarding partnerships with the U.S. and Middle Eastern suppliers.

Hungarian response and diplomatic tensions

Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó, reacted sharply to Ukraine’s assertions. In a Facebook post, he hinted at Hungary’s potential to veto Ukraine’s EU membership bid, signalling that tensions between the two countries are unlikely to ease soon. Ukraine’s bold statements reflect its desire to solidify its position as a dependable Western ally, especially amid ongoing conflicts with Russia. Meanwhile, Hungary’s balancing act between East and West continues to draw criticism, both regionally and globally.

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One comment

  1. So, the country that cut the EU off from Russian gas now wants to join those countries that buy Russian gas because another country prefers a peaceful settlement?

    Nobody was more cozy with Russia than Merkel and the EU. They negotiated the pipelines and welcomed Russia as the master of their energy needs when it was convenient for them, telling the world that the EU can do business with Russia. But as the migrant crisis grew and migrant crimes were rampant across the EU, they needed a distraction. A war over Ukraine’s resources was just the ticket. War profiteering followed by reconstruction profiteering followed by natural resource exploitation. Ukrainians die for their country and will work for EU companies that rape their environment, take the big profits and only a handful of corrupt Ukrainian leaders get rich.

    Ukraine was and still is one of the most corrupt governments in existence. Nothing has changed because Putin made war.

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