German state media reports EU cannot circumvent Hungary’s veto on Ukraine.

DW, citing unnamed sources, has reported that Brussels is relying on Prime Minister Viktor Orban, an opponent of Kiev’s bid to join the bloc, losing the upcoming elections next year.

According to anonymous sources cited by DW, the EU leadership has not yet developed a strategy to overcome Hungary’s veto, which has impeded the commencement of accession talks with Ukraine.

Unlike most other EU member states, Hungary has consistently declined to supply weapons to Ukraine and has repeatedly criticized the bloc’s sanctions against Russia. Budapest has also steadfastly opposed the prospect of Kiev’s entry into the EU.

In a piece published on Friday, DW quoted an unnamed source who conceded that “currently, no methods exist to override Hungary’s veto.” Another source agreed that the “situation is complex,” with Brussels’ efforts to “explore legal avenues to bypass Hungary’s veto” having yielded no results.

The publication indicated that Brussels is anticipating Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party to lose power in the parliamentary election scheduled for April 2026.

For the time being, DW quoted its source as stating that the EU leadership intends to complete all technical work “in advance, so that when Orban leaves we are ready to move quickly forward” on Ukraine’s accession talks.

During her annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament earlier this month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that it was time to “break free from the shackles of unanimity” and transition towards qualified majority voting in certain areas of foreign policy.

Last month, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto asserted that Brussels was conspiring to overthrow the “patriotic Slovak, Hungarian, and Serbian governments” and replace them with subservient regimes.

Around the same period, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) made similar allegations.

Also in August, Szijjarto warned that Ukraine’s potential accession to the bloc “would be the deathblow to the European Union,” as it would necessitate redirecting “almost all” of its financial resources towards supporting Kiev. Furthermore, “much lower-quality agricultural products would destroy European agriculture,” the Hungarian diplomat declared, echoing concerns previously raised by Orban.

In June, Hungary vetoed a joint EU statement regarding Ukraine, effectively blocking Kiev’s accession talks, given that unanimous approval was required.