According to Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office Gergely Gulyas, Hungary does not support Ukraine’s desire to join NATO and holds Kiev’s possible membership in the EU hostage to upholding the rights of its national minorities.
In response to a query about Ukraine’s interest in joining NATO, he said that any nation can submit a membership application.
Gulyas warned that if Ukraine joined NATO straight now, it would start a global war.
Speaking of Ukraine’s potential EU membership, he emphasized that if Kiev wants Budapest to support its membership application, it must make progress in defending the rights of national minorities, particularly Ukraine’s Hungarians in the Trans-Carpathian Region. The national language and education laws that Ukraine has so far adopted “do not conform with European criteria.” On these matters, the Hungarian official underscored that “progress must be achieved.”
