Hungary Maintains Veto on Ukraine's EU Accession Amid Reform Efforts and Calls for Rule Changes

As of November 4, 2025, Ukraine's ambition to achieve full membership in the European Union remains complicated by the persistent veto exercised by Hungary. This impasse has emerged despite Kyiv’s considerable efforts to implement necessary reforms, compelling European institutions to seek more flexible mechanisms for engagement. The situation starkly highlights the fundamental tension between the principle of unanimous agreement among member states and the urgent need to respond swiftly to evolving geopolitical challenges.

The European Commission, in its report dated November 3, 2025, acknowledged significant progress across numerous sectors, noting substantial achievements in six out of eight key policy areas. This performance underscores the nation's capacity for rapid implementation of European legislation, even while facing ongoing conflict. Nevertheless, the report emphasized that further steps are required to strengthen the independence of the judicial system, intensify the fight against organized crime, and reinforce anti-corruption structures.

European Commissioner Marta Kos suggested that technical preparations for opening negotiation clusters could commence even without the complete withdrawal of the Hungarian veto. She proposed that sensitive issues, such as those concerning minority rights, could be addressed within the framework of the very first cluster. Commissioner Kos has previously asserted that the enlargement of the EU is a vital component for ensuring the long-term security of the European continent.

The position held by Budapest, championed by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, is unyielding. This stance is bolstered by the results of a national survey conducted in June 2025, which indicated that 95% of Hungarian citizens oppose Ukraine’s entry into the bloc. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has openly stated that this blocking action benefits President Vladimir Putin, as it deliberately slows Ukraine's integration into European structures. It is relevant to recall that on October 6, 2025, Orbán had already dismissed the idea of Ukrainian entry as impractical, instead advocating for a strategic partnership with Kyiv rather than full membership status.

In response to the institutional paralysis caused by the requirement for unanimity, President of the European Council António Costa has put forward a potentially structural initiative. He proposed altering the rules governing enlargement so that the opening of negotiation clusters could be approved by a qualified majority, thereby bypassing the current requirement for absolute consent from all 27 member states.

This diplomatic proposal suggests that future candidates, specifically Ukraine, Moldova, and Montenegro, could benefit from many of the EU’s advantages but would forgo the right to exercise a veto until key institutional reforms within the Union itself are finalized.

According to some European figures, including Anton Hofreiter, Chairman of the Bundestag Committee on European Affairs, such an approach would safeguard the EU’s ability to act decisively even after expansion. However, sources caution that imposing such a 'probationary period' might be perceived by candidate nations as discriminatory, potentially complicating the integration process further.