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Kos: EU seeks to convince Hungary to lift veto on Ukraine’s EU accession talks

The EU enlargement commissioner noted that Ukraine had fulfilled the required conditions. Budapest demands the restoration of legislation granting de facto privileges to the Hungarian minority.
byYuri Zoria
29/04/2025
4 minute read
kos eu seeks convince hungary lift veto ukraine’s accession talks marta european commissioner enlargement 828c044a-af85-421f-1200-08dd8209 stated interview radio svoboda union intends persuade block membership progress through dialogue emphasized ukraine could
Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement. Photo: RFE/RL
Kos: EU seeks to convince Hungary to lift veto on Ukraine’s EU accession talks

European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos stated in an interview with Radio Svoboda that the European Union intends to persuade Hungary not to block Ukraine’s EU membership progress through dialogue. She emphasized that Ukraine could open six negotiation clusters this year, provided the blockage is overcome.

Hungary’s opposition grew after an emergency EU summit in Brussels in March, where it refused to back a joint arms-for-Ukraine statement. Viktor Orbán later set 12 conditions for Brussels, including banning “unnatural child upbringing” and deporting “Soros agents.” Orbán and his Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó are long tied to Moscow, cooperating with Putin and Lukashenka. Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy has said Hungary is the only EU country blocking Ukraine’s membership.

In March 2025, the European Commission reported that Ukraine was ready to open its first negotiation cluster. However, Hungary, led by Viktor Orbán — Moscow’s closest ally within the EU — blocked the move, demanding that Ukraine restore its 2017 minority rights legislation.

 

“Ukraine has done enough — I can say this from my personal experience, as I facilitated dialogue between Hungary and Ukraine,” Kos said. “Ukraine is ready to fulfill all requirements. But for Hungary, it is not enough. Now we must find a way to convince Hungary to allow the first cluster to open,” she added.

Kos underlined the importance of maintaining dialogue with Hungary, citing the precedent from December 2023 when Hungary did not oppose Ukraine receiving EU candidate status, although it abstained from voting. During that summit, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz asked Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to “go have coffee” during the vote.

The 2017 law — which Hungary claims violates the rights of the Hungarian minority — mandates Ukrainian as the primary language of instruction. Minorities may study in their language through Grade 5, while indigenous peoples, such as the Crimean Tatars, may continue bilingual education through high school. Under the law, minority languages and literature are taught as courses, with additional subjects also permitted in minority languages. Terminology could be studied in minority languages at any stage. Schools could offer bilingual education in Ukrainian, English, or EU languages, excluding Russian. Before the adoption of this law, Ukrainians of Hungarian descent could complete their education in state-run schools without learning Ukrainian at all.

She also mentioned that the outcome of Hungary’s public survey regarding support for Ukraine’s EU membership needs to be awaited. At the same time, Kos noted the importance of reactions from other EU states if Hungary continues its obstruction.

Hungary to keep blocking Ukraine’s EU accession

Kos stated that Russia’s war against Ukraine changed the essence of EU enlargement, saying:

“We are in some ways returning to the origins of the EU — ensuring peace, freedom, prosperity, and today we can add security.”

Hungary to block Ukraine’s EU accession talks over language law

She expressed confidence that Ukraine’s EU membership is not in doubt and pointed out “huge support” among EU member states for Ukraine joining.

“Of course, there are specific issues to resolve, particularly regarding national minorities, but overall the support for Ukraine’s membership is strong,” she said, mentioning the privileges sought by Hungary for Ukrainian citizens of Hungarian descent as real issues.

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