Balázs Orbán, a political director to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, has warned Ukraine’s full integration into the EU could cost the bloc as much as 2.5 trillion euros ($2.8 trillion) - an amount twelve times greater than the EU’s current annual budget.
Speaking at the Economx Money Talks 25 business conference, Orbán cautioned that the financial and strategic burden of Ukraine’s accession could overwhelm the EU, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.
“Accelerated accession of Ukraine to the EU would consume all the resources needed to address the bloc’s other pressing challenges and would severely weaken Hungary’s strategic position,” Orbán said.
He laid out several major cost estimates tied to Ukraine’s potential membership, including:
Reconstruction of Ukraine: Estimated at $500 billion, though some Ukrainian officials put the figure closer to 1 trillion euros ($1.1 trillion);
Support for the functioning of Ukraine: $100 billion;
Defence and security enhancements: 50 billion euros ($56 billion).
Orbán also warned that Hungary’s agricultural sector could face up to 2 billion euros ($2.3 billion) in losses if Ukraine—known for its vast and competitive farming industry - joins the EU.
The European Commission reportedly aims to fast-track Ukraine’s accession by 2029. However, Orbán emphasised that Hungary retains the power to block the process, given that EU enlargement decisions require unanimous approval from all member states.
In February, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán vetoed the opening of the first negotiation cluster for Ukraine's EU accession talks and later opposed a statement calling for the acceleration of Ukraine’s European integration process. Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó clarified that one of the conditions for Budapest's approval of Ukraine’s membership is the restoration of the rights of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia.
Additionally, Hungary plans to hold a referendum on whether to approve Ukraine’s EU membership. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticised Budapest’s actions, labeling them as "anti-European." Russia, on the other hand, does not oppose Ukraine’s EU membership, with the Kremlin describing it as Kyiv’s "sovereign right." However, Moscow insists that Ukraine must abandon its NATO aspirations.
By Naila Huseynova
Source: caliber.az
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