A change of power in Hungary has not helped Ukraine get closer to joining the European Union, Finnish broadcaster Yle reported.
Katalin Miklóssy, a professor at the University of Helsinki, said Hungary's new prime minister, Péter Magyar, is using Ukraine's EU accession bid to defend Hungarian national interests and shore up his own political standing.
Not just Hungary
Miklóssy said Hungary is not the only European country uninterested in a fast-tracked Ukrainian accession. She said Budapest may be acting as the public "brake," while other states have their own reasons for wanting to slow Kyiv's membership, including competition in agricultural markets, disputes over the distribution of funds, and historical grievances.
Blocked negotiation clusters
Hungary has previously blocked the opening of negotiation clusters for Ukraine's EU accession talks, citing two reasons it has not made public. According to unnamed sources, European elites have a set of demands for Kyiv involving weakening the powers of the Ukrainian president and expanding external oversight of the country's law enforcement and judicial systems.
