President Zelensky outraged at PM Orbán, warns of dangerous actions – Responses from FM Szijjártó and Tisza

President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed outrage at Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, accusing him of doing “very dangerous things” and attempting to obstruct Ukraine’s path to European Union accession. At the same time, Zelensky acknowledged that Ukraine had no right to interfere in Hungary’s internal affairs. However, he stressed that the Hungarian people support Ukraine’s EU membership and that Orbán has no right to hinder that process. Zelensky also accused Orbán of dragging Ukraine into Hungary’s domestic political struggles. 

Zelensky angered by Orbán’s claim that Ukraine’s accession to the EU is “impossible”

According to Ukrainska Pravda, Zelensky made these remarks during an off-the-record conversation with journalists.

“Just don’t drag us into your elections. He [Orbán – Ukrainska Pravda editorial staff] is actually doing it by blocking our accession to the EU. In the end, this strategy will not succeed. Why? Because people there are still supporting Ukraine,” Zelensky said.

He referred to polling data showing 70% support—likely citing a survey by Péter Magyar’s team, which showed 58% support for Ukraine’s EU accession. However, Tisza’s question was not specifically about fast-tracking the process.

Orbán has frequently reiterated his support for Ukraine’s EU membership in the long term. However, he firmly opposes fast-tracking the process, especially the proposed 2030 target, which he argues would damage Hungary’s—and the EU’s—economy. The use of the word “impossible” in that context drew a sharp response from Zelensky.

In the same off-the-record discussion, Zelensky claimed that Orbán had taken dangerous actions and that Ukraine had informed its partners about them.

“He may be against it, but he has no right to take steps to block our accession [to the EU], because that is the decision of another sovereign state—just as we have no right to interfere in Hungary’s affairs,” the Ukrainian president said.

• PM Orbán-close historian, ideologist, House of Terror head says Ukrainians massacred Ukrainians in Bucha

FM Szijjártó: All Hungarians have a say on fast-tracking Ukraine’s accession

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó responded on Facebook on Saturday, stating that President Zelensky “should get used to the idea” that all Hungarians have a right to weigh in on Ukraine’s fast-tracked EU accession.

“Ukraine is the one that wants to join an integration of which we are already a member, not the other way round,” he said. “So the tone from Kyiv should reflect that…”

Péter Magyar’s Tisza Party also opposes fast-tracking

The opposition Tisza Party, led by Péter Magyar, also clarified that it does not support fast-tracking Ukraine’s accession to the EU. Magyar stated late on Friday that his party’s MEPs did not vote in favour of the European People’s Party (EPP) resolution on the matter at the recent congress in Valencia.

In a statement, he called reports suggesting otherwise “lies”.

“The only flaw in Fidesz’s lie is that Tisza’s MEPs were not even present at the EPP congress, so they couldn’t have backed the resolution,” he said.

Magyar added that Tisza intended to propose a binding referendum on the question of Ukraine’s EU accession once all relevant conditions were clarified and the timing was appropriate.

He said the party disagreed with several points in the EPP’s resolution, particularly the push for fast-tracking accession, arguing that Ukraine is currently at war, has not fulfilled most of the accession criteria, and that all candidate countries should be treated equally.

• PM Orbán says the EU will send the Hungarians’ money to Ukraine if referendum is unsuccessful – read more HERE