Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said Ukraine's foreign ministry is wrong to think that Ukraine can join the EU without the backing of EU citizens, including Hungarians.

Minister Szijjártó said the Ukrainian foreign ministry claimed yesterday that Hungarians did not have the right to decide in respect of Ukraine's EU bid.

He said, conversely, it was not in the gift of President Volodomyr Zelensky or his government to decide on the country's membership but EU citizens, including Hungarians.

He added that Hungary wanted no part in "the accession of a country that brings the threat of war, risks our energy security and once almost brought ruin to our farmers".

While demanding the support of Hungarians, Ukraine had been "systematically taking away minority rights from the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia" for the past ten years, he added.