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Hungary reduces momentum in Ukraine's EU membership text
The EU leaders' final declaration on June 18 was adopted with more cautious language on Ukraine's membership process at the insistence of Peter Magyar. The phrase "as soon as possible" was removed from the text.
The final declaration adopted by European Union leaders on June 18 was tied to more distant language on Ukraine's membership process at the insistence of Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar. The accelerating phrase in the draft text was removed from the final text.
The initial draft stated that the European Council expected the other enlargement chapters opened for Ukraine and Moldova to be opened "as soon as possible". In the final text, this section was simplified and the tone of urgency was reduced.
The EU had opened the first of six enlargement chapters for Ukraine and Moldova three days before the meeting. The remaining five chapters were expected to be opened by July.
In a message shared after the meeting, Magyar said that the clause foreseeing acceleration was removed from the text at his initiative and at the last minute. He also noted that this change was not easy.
Two EU diplomats separately confirmed that Magyar specifically wanted this change. One diplomat conveyed that Budapest wanted to emphasize that Ukraine must implement all rules exactly and that shortcuts should not be allowed.
The other diplomat said that Hungary's objection had been on the agenda for some time and therefore the outcome was not a surprise. Thus, the seemingly small change in the text became a politically significant signal for Ukraine.
Magyar presented this as an example of how he could represent Hungary better at the European level than former prime minister Viktor Orban. He described himself as a politician who seeks compromise, not one who overturns the table.
Although this development did not constitute a heavier blockade than the harsh vetoes of the Orban era, it stood out as a negative message for Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who had called for accelerated membership for Ukraine at the G7 summit the same week.
Magyar had previously said that Ukraine could only join the EU in 10 to 15 years. This assessment points to a much more distant date than the timeline frequently voiced by Ukraine and its European allies.
Zelenskyy left the EU leaders' meeting on June 18 early. He then told journalists that the partners were strong, that he believed all chapters would be opened, and that Ukraine deserved it.
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