Hungary’s Ukraine policy will be driven by pragmatism

Significance

Hungary’s policy towards Ukraine can appear out of step with the EU mainstream; it opposed the terms of the EU’s sixth package of sanctions against Russia. However, Budapest’s foreign policy should be understood as being driven by a rigorous understanding of Hungary’s national interest.

Impacts

• Hungarian backing for Ukraine’s EU membership is lukewarm: public support is just 47%, compared to an EU average of 66%.
• The government is actively trying to increase deliveries of oil along the Adria pipeline connecting Croatia and Hungary.
• Hungary’s stance on Russia has prompted other EU members to back foreign policy decisions being taken by majority rather than unanimity.