The EU could lose 2.5 trillion euros if it allows Ukraine to join.
An advisor to the Hungarian Prime Minister argues that the EU could lose 12 times its total 2025 budget, equivalent to 2.5 trillion euros, if it agrees to Ukraine becoming a member.
According to RIA Novosti, Balazs Orban, political advisor to the Hungarian Prime Minister, believes that Ukraine's accession to the European Union (EU) would cost the community 2.5 trillion euros, 12 times the total EU budget for 2025.
"Ukraine's plan to join the European Union will create an unbearable burden for us, not only politically, but also economically. According to calculations by the Hungarian Institute of Foreign Affairs, Ukraine's accession to the EU will cost the union a total of 2.5 trillion euros, more than 12 times the EU budget for 2025," said an advisor to the Hungarian Prime Minister.
Balazs Orban noted that "according to the most conservative estimates, restoring Ukraine would cost $500 billion, while Ukrainians say the figure is $1 trillion a year," and the operation of the Ukrainian state costs $100 billion a year, while the US administration has stated that it no longer wants to be involved.
The politician also emphasized that if Ukraine joins the EU, 25% of the EU's agricultural funds will be transferred to Ukraine, thus depriving Hungarian farmers of support.
"According to the EU text, with Ukraine's accession, the current net beneficiaries, including Hungary, could become net donors. In other words, we will not receive but will have to pay not only for Ukraine's operations but also for its development," noted the Hungarian Prime Minister's advisor.
According to him, the EU's acceptance of a country "with an unstable state and uncertain socio-economic situation" would prevent the EU from addressing other tasks and seriously undermine Hungary's strategic position.
On April 14th, a public opinion survey began in Hungary regarding Ukraine's accession to the European Union. Questionnaires will be sent by mail, answering the question "Do you support Ukraine joining the EU?", with possible answers of "yes" or "no". After the survey is completed on June 20th, the results will be sent to Brussels.
Earlier, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated that Brussels wanted Ukraine to become a member of the European Union by 2030, but the final decision rested with Hungary. According to Orban, Ukraine's accession would destroy the Hungarian economy. He argued that the EU did not want to help Ukraine but rather wanted to colonize it, and forcing Kyiv to continue the conflict was one method of colonization. Hungary supports the European Union but opposes Ukraine's rapid integration into Europe, and stated that without Budapest's consent, Kyiv would never join the union.
