EU doesn't rule out decoupling Ukraine, Moldova's accession process over Hungary's stance

The EU does not rule out "decoupling" Moldova's accession process from that of Ukraine due to Hungary's opposition to Kyiv's entry, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said in an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on April 28.

Ukraine and Moldova jointly launched EU accession talks in June 2024, but Kyiv's efforts have run into resistance from Hungary, which has blocked the opening of the first negotiation chapters.

"We are already discussing with the member states what to do, because no member state opposes the opening of the first group of negotiation chapters with Moldova," Kos said in the interview.

Kyiv and Chisinau were granted membership candidate status in 2022, months after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Their accession talks have progressed largely hand-in-hand.

Brussels has been a crucial supporter of Ukraine over the past three years, providing security and financial aid to help counter Russian aggression and enact pro-EU reforms.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, broadly seen as the most Russian-friendly leader in the EU, has consistently blocked support for Ukraine and now opposes the country's membership efforts, claiming its entry would "destroy" Hungary.

Budapest has cited Ukraine’s alleged discrimination against its Hungarian minority as a key obstacle — an accusation Kyiv rejects. Hungary has also raised concerns over agriculture and security, referencing the ongoing war with Russia.

"Brussels is thinking in terms of a very fast process," Gergely Gulyas, Hungary's minister for the prime minister's office, said earlier in April while rejecting a fast-tracked membership path.

Hungary plans to hold a so-called national consultation – a non-binding opinion survey often criticized for biased wording and low turnout – on Ukraine's accession later this year.

Despite the government's resistance, recent polls show public support for Ukraine's accession. According to the opposition Tisza party's "Voice of the Nation" initiative, which received over 1.1 million responses, 58.18% of participants backed Ukraine's EU bid.

A separate April 7 poll by the Republikon Institute also found a narrow majority of Hungarians in favor of Ukraine joining the bloc.