---
title: "Hungary calls Ukraine's EU accession by 2030 \"unrealistic\": Orban urges standard procedure without acceleration"
description: "Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban stated in Vilnius that Ukraine's EU accession by 2030 is unrealistic and called for a standard procedure without acceleration. Her Lithuanian counterpart, Budrys, advocated for setting a target date."
date: 2026-11-05T18:24:21.591Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/hungary-calls-ukraine-eu-accession-2030-unrealistic
tags: [hungary, ukraine, eu-accession, anita-orban, lithuania, eu-enlargement, vilnius]
author: "Alexander Buran"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Hungary calls Ukraine's EU accession by 2030 "unrealistic": Orban urges standard procedure without acceleration

![Anita Orban speaking at a podium with the TISZA party logo against a background of Hungarian and EU flags](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/05/vengriya-nazvala-vstup-ukrainy-v-es-do-2030-nerealistichnym/vengriya-nazvala-vstup-ukrainy-v-es-do-2030-nerealistichnym-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Anita Orban called Ukraine's EU accession by 2030 'unrealistic' and rejected the idea of an accelerated procedure
- Hungary acknowledged Ukraine's opening of four of six negotiating chapters and linked the progress to improved bilateral relations
- Lithuania (Budrys) advocated for a target date, calling the 2030 completion theoretically possible
- The European Commission reported significant reform progress but highlighted Ukraine's lag behind Moldova in anti-corruption efforts

During a visit to Vilnius, Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban stated that Ukraine's accession to the European Union by 2030 is "unrealistic" and that the European integration process must follow a standard procedure without any accelerations or exceptions. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the Lithuanian publication LRT.

### "Every country must follow the same procedure"

Responding to a question about the possibility of completing Ukraine's European integration within a foreseeable timeframe, the Hungarian Foreign Minister emphasized: "We do not consider it realistic. We strongly support a merit-based process, and in my opinion, we agree with Lithuania on this issue." Orban added that all candidate countries must follow the same path without exceptions or special procedures: "Every country must go through the same procedure we did. We also do not support any accelerated accession."

### Recognition of Ukraine's progress and connection to bilateral relations

Despite the skeptical tone regarding timelines, the Hungarian diplomat noted positive shifts in Ukrainian reforms. According to Orban, Ukraine has made significant progress, opening four of the six negotiating chapters. The Hungarian minister linked this success to improved bilateral relations between Budapest and Kyiv, particularly thanks to an agreement on protecting the rights of the Hungarian national minority in Transcarpathia.

### Lithuania advocates for setting a target date

At the same time, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys expressed a more optimistic view on the prospects of Ukraine's European integration. "We are more optimistic about the terms. We believe a target date can and should be set," he stated. Budrys emphasized that completing all procedures by 2030 remains theoretically possible if Kyiv implements reforms quickly and Brussels promptly completes the necessary stages.

### Context: European Commission report on Ukraine's progress

Reminder: The European Commission previously released a report on Ukraine's progress toward the EU. The document notes significant progress in implementing reforms despite the ongoing full-scale war, as well as the fulfillment of conditions for opening three negotiating clusters. At the same time, the EC pointed out that Ukraine lags behind Moldova on its path to EU membership due to insufficient results in combating corruption. Thus, the divergence in the positions of Budapest and Vilnius regarding accession timelines occurs against the backdrop of objective data that the reform process is ongoing but remains uneven across key areas.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [В Венгрии назвали "нереалистичным" вступление Украины в ЕС до 2030 года](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ugorshchini-nazvali-nerealistichnim-vstup-1793902477.html) - Primary source: Quotes from Orban and Budrys, data on negotiating chapters, and the EC report align with the article's foundation.

## FAQ

### Why does Hungary consider Ukraine's EU accession by 2030 unrealistic?

Anita Orban stated that Budapest supports a merit-based process and opposes any accelerated accession, insisting that every country must follow the same procedure as Hungary did, without exceptions.

### What did Orban say about Ukraine's progress?

The Hungarian minister noted that Ukraine has opened four of six negotiating chapters and linked this progress to improved bilateral relations, including an agreement on protecting Hungarian minority rights in Transcarpathia.

### What is Lithuania's position on Ukraine's accession timeline?

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys stated that Vilnius is more optimistic, believes a target date is necessary, and considers the 2030 deadline theoretically possible if reforms are implemented rapidly.

### What did the European Commission note in its progress report on Ukraine?

The EC recorded significant reform progress despite the war and fulfilling conditions for three clusters, but noted that Ukraine is behind Moldova due to insufficient anti-corruption results.