Hungary’s Orbán says negotiations on Ukraine’s future EU membership should not move forward

By JUSTIN SPIKE
Associated Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary’s prime minister says Ukraine is not ready to begin talks on future membership in the European Union, signaling again that his country could pose a roadblock to Kyiv’s ambitions to join the bloc. EU leaders are to decide in December whether Ukraine should be formally invited to begin talks to join the 27-member union. But in a radio interview on Friday, Viktor Orbán said the embattled country is nowhere near gaining membership in the world’s largest trading bloc, and that his government opposes the beginning of accession talks. He also sought to dispel suspicions that his government is using its vote on Ukraine to pressure the EU to release billions of euros in funds withheld over rule-of-law and democracy concerns.