The head of the Hungarian Prime Minister's Office described the push for Ukraine's fast-track EU membership as "absurd," citing unresolved issues in agriculture, labour markets, and cohesion, but also due its to unclear borders.

In his weekly press conference, Gergely Gulyas said that it is currently uncertain which "territorial entity" seeks to join the union, making it imprudent to move forward with membership talks.

Gulyas warned that Ukraine's swift integration into the EU could inflict long-term damage on Europe’s economies, given the economic strain it would place on both the union and Hungary, echoing the main narrative of the Orban government. 

Official surveys show Ukraine is unprepared for EU accession, contradicting the longstanding principle of merit-based enlargement.

Budapest’s hostile stance toward Ukraine goes back a long way. The Orban government has long been critical of what it perceives as the mistreatment of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine's Transcarpathian region. These violations of rights cannot be overlooked as part of Ukraine’s EU membership process, according to Budapest.

This position was demonstrated during the EU summit in Brussels on March 20, where Prime Minister Viktor Orban refused to endorse a joint statement calling for Ukraine’s swift accession to the EU and the allocation of substantial military aid.

Hungary's veteran leader launched a "consultative referendum" on Ukraine's EU membership issue to poll people's views, mostly driven by political considerations. The government is likely to shape the debate around the economic impact that has resonated with Fidesz' core electorate in the past.

Orban aims to shift the political conversation away from Hungary's economic struggles, growing tensions with the EU over rule-of-law concerns, and other domestic issues, one year before the elections. By making Ukraine's membership a central theme, he can consolidate support among nationalist and Euroskeptic voters, reinforcing his position ahead of the elections.

Simultaneously, his new rival Magyar Peter is also turning to voters to gauge their views on Ukraine’s membership, but his poll also features 12 other questions on topics including pension support, VAT cuts on essential goods, increased healthcare funding, local government autonomy, a two-term limit for prime ministers and Hungary's EU and Nato memberships.