Sánchez tries to curb Orban’s refusal to open EU doors to Ukraine

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez discussed several issues on the political agenda ahead of next week’s European Council in Brussels with his Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orban, including Kyiv’s possible accession, which Orban opposes as ‘premature’.

The future enlargement of the EU, which includes the consideration of Ukraine and several Western Balkan countries’ accession, will be an “investment in peace, security and stability” for the entire continent, said Sánchez following a phone call with Orban.

“Enlargement (of the EU) is an investment in peace, security, stability and prosperity for Europe”, Sánchez commented in a message on his X account.

Sánchez believes that Madrid, in its capacity as President of the EU Council until the end of the month, will do “everything possible” to “move towards consensus among the 27 (EU partners) and maintain financial and military support for Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion”.

“The defence of an international order based on rules is one of the fundamental values of the European Union,” he added.

Last week, Orban reiterated his reluctance to start accession talks with Ukraine.

“If we don’t know what the consequences of Ukraine’s accession might be, let’s not start negotiating on the issue,” the Hungarian leader commented in a statement to public radio Kossuth, adding that before approving Ukraine’s accession. “We would first need a strategic agreement with Kyiv”, EFE reported from Budapest.

According to Orban, several problems regarding Ukraine currently make EU membership impossible.

“We don’t know how large its territory is and how large its population is since Russia has occupied part of the country,” the Hungarian prime minister said.

Orban stressed that Hungary’s position “is not a veto”, as this can only be applied in the face of a decision, which does not yet exist for Ukraine.

Sánchez, who travelled to Kyiv last June at the start of its EU presidency, has made clear his “firm” support for the future accession of Ukraine and the Western Balkan countries to the European bloc on several occasions.

Also, at the Granada European summit, held last October in the southern Spanish city, the Spanish premier underlined his firm commitment to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to support Ukraine’s ‘European path’.

The last meeting of this year’s European Council will occur on 14-15 December.

At the meeting in the Belgian capital, EU heads of state and government will discuss the latest developments in the war in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East and the war in Gaza, the future enlargement of the European Union and the bloc’s budget until 2027, among other key topics.

(Fernando Heller | EuroEFE.Euractiv.es)