Ukraine may wait 15-20 years for full membership in the European Union, Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar told journalists in Brussels. According to him, there is no set target date for accession, and the terms should depend on the actual fulfillment of the membership criteria.
„I do not believe in limited membership, extended membership, temporary membership or parallel membership. We believe in full membership, but it may take 15 or 20 years“, said Magyar.
He pointed to the long path of the Western Balkan countries as an example that starting negotiations does not guarantee quick accession. As another example, the Hungarian Prime Minister gave Turkey, which has been striving for membership in European integration structures for decades, but is not yet part of the EU.
Negotiations with Ukraine have already advanced
Negotiations for Ukraine's accession to the EU officially began on 15 June 2026. The first negotiation cluster was opened then, dedicated to fundamental issues, including the rule of law, fundamental rights and public administration reform. On 13 October, the European Union also opened negotiations on the clusters on the internal market, competitiveness and inclusive growth.
The European Council defines the process as merit-based. This means that Kiev's progress depends on the implementation of reforms and meeting the requirements under individual negotiation chapters, and not on a pre-set political deadline.
Upcoming meeting with Zelensky
Magyar announced that he will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the EU summit. The conversation is expected to be short and last about 10-15 minutes.
Despite differences in the pace of Ukraine's European integration, the Hungarian prime minister expressed hope for a new stage in relations between Budapest and Kiev. He said he wanted to visit Beregovo in the Transcarpathian region in the future, where a significant part of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine lives.
Magyar also said that progress had been made on the issues of Hungarian-language education and the use of the mother tongue by ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine.
Sources: news.bg, agenzianova.com