Lawmakers from Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party on February 17 submitted a draft resolution to parliament opposing Ukraine’s EU membership and calling on the government to reject further support that could draw the bloc deeper into the war, state news agency MTI writes.

The motion, submitted by caucus leader Mate Kocsis and Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, says Ukraine’s accession would pull the EU into an armed conflict that poses a direct threat to regional and European security.

It argues that Ukraine does not meet the criteria for membership under Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union and urges the government not to back the launch of accession talks or Ukraine’s entry into the bloc.

The text declares that it is in Hungary's and Europe's interest to stay out of the war and do everything possible for peace. Therefore, the parliament urges the government to support international peace efforts, particularly initiatives by the President of the United States, to end the Russia-Ukraine war, which severely threatens the security of Hungary and the EU; refrain from sending money or weapons to Ukraine; and take all necessary steps to prevent Hungary or the EU from being drawn into the Russia-Ukraine war.

Observers note that the timing of the proposal aligns with Fidesz’s broader election strategy, positioning issues of war and peace at the forefront of the campaign. Hungary’s veteran leader, who won a decisive victory four years ago shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, continues to present himself as the only politician capable of keeping the country out of conflict. He has also accused his political opponents of being “puppets of the warmongers in Brussels,” without citing evidence.

The prime minister, in his state of the nation speech on February 14, reiterated his long-standing claim that the EU "decided to go to war by 2030", making April's election Hungary's last before an impending conflict. The next government, he said, would face the choice between war and peace. He said Brussels was determined to defeat Russia in Ukraine, with every European Union country, except Hungary and Slovakia, preparing for war.

The Hungarian government has ramped up attacks on its eastern neighbour, accusing Kyiv of openly siding with Tisza. Orban himself called the "five-point Zelenskiy plan"  an open declaration of war on Hungary. He claimed that the European Commission seeks to remove his government and wants the Tisza party to take power, as it would end Hungary's vetoes, resistance and opt-outs.