Orban made it clear that her country will evaluate Kiev’s entry into the bloc using the same criteria required of all other applicants, without privileges or political shortcuts.

Ukraine’s accession to the EU must be based on merit and compliance with strict conditions, the official declared during a hearing before the parliamentary committee on European Affairs, according to a direct quote from the Russian news agency TASS, the original source of the information.

In that same appearance, Orban emphasized that the new Hungarian government will demand that Kiev restore the rights of the Hungarian minority in the Transcarpathian region, a demand that already strained bilateral relations during Viktor Orban’s previous administration. “Under my leadership, the Foreign Ministry will undertake serious diplomatic work to defend Hungary’s interests, not political games,” warned the candidate, a former diplomat and executive at the telecommunications company Vodafone.

Furthermore, the new government rules out sending weapons or soldiers to Ukraine and will not participate in the €90 billion EU loan for Kiev, although it does not rule out joint borrowing for other purposes, the incoming Foreign Minister clarified.

On the energy front, the potential candidate stated that they will seek to eliminate dependence on Russia, but without abandoning Russian oil and gas for now, diversifying supplies via the Adriatic pipeline from Croatia.

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