Zelensky: Putin is no longer against the EU for Ukraine, but Hungary still has doubts
5 September 2025 16:39
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Hungary’s refusal to agree to the opening of negotiating clusters on Ukraine’s accession to the EU looks illogical, as even Russian dictator Vladimir Putin no longer objects to Kyiv’s European integration.
The head of state said this during a joint briefing with President of the European Council Antonio Costa, reports "Komersant Ukrainian".
“Finally, we hear a signal from Russia that they already accept Ukraine’s membership in the European Union. It is a pity that they perceive reality with such a delay. But now some of Russia’s other friends in Europe need to hear this as well. If even Putin does not object, the positions of some countries, especially Hungary, look really strange,” Zelenskyy said.
He emphasized that Kyiv fulfills all the requirements of the European Union to advance the negotiation process.
“Legally and in fact, we are doing everything that the European Union and the European Commission recommend. Therefore, I see no reason for any objections from the Hungarian side. But we are ready for a dialog. We are ready to meet with Prime Minister Orban and find out what else they are dissatisfied with,” the president said.
Zelenskyy emphasized that there is broad international support for Ukraine’s membership in the EU, including from the United States, which views Kyiv’s integration as an element of European security.
He also recalled his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Paris the day before, where the main topic of discussion was Europe’s energy security and reducing dependence on Russian energy resources.
“President Trump was unhappy that Europeans are still buying Russian oil and gas. This applies to the policies of some countries, including Slovakia and Hungary. Today I will speak with the Prime Minister of Slovakia and hope that our neighbors will hear these signals,” Zelenskyy added.
As a reminder, Ukraine was granted EU candidate status in June 2022. In June 2025, the European Council confirmed that Kyiv and Chisinau had fulfilled the requirements for opening the first negotiation clusters: “Fundamental Areas, Internal Market, and External Relations. These are the most important clusters that define the legal framework, integration into the EU internal market, and participation in the common foreign and security policy.
However, Hungary blocked the start of the negotiations, claiming “unresolved bilateral issues” with Ukraine, particularly in the area of national minority rights and energy policy. The other 26 EU countries were in favor of opening the talks.
The EU accession negotiation process consists of 35 chapters organized into six clusters. The opening and closing of each of them depends on the fulfillment of clearly defined criteria by the candidate country.
