Hungary’s persistent attempts to undermine EU efforts in support of Ukraine have pushed member states to seriously consider invoking Article 7 of the EU treaty — the bloc’s most severe disciplinary tool, which could strip Budapest of its voting rights, The Guardian reports.
Tensions are escalating between the European Union and Hungary as Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government continues to obstruct key decisions aimed at aiding Ukraine. Now, EU leaders are contemplating the use of Article 7 of the EU treaty, which, if fully enacted, would suspend Hungary’s voting rights within the bloc.
Although the move remains in its early stages and faces significant political hurdles — including the requirement of unanimity among the remaining 26 EU member states — the mood in Brussels has shifted. Diplomats are increasingly frustrated with Hungary’s pattern of behavior, which includes repeated vetoes of joint statements, sanctions packages, and military aid funding for Ukraine.
The latest flashpoint has been Hungary’s nationwide propaganda campaign against Ukraine’s EU membership. Billboards have appeared across the country featuring Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alongside EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Manfred Weber, framed as villains in a government-led campaign. Ballot papers sent to Hungarian citizens ask: “Do you support Ukraine becoming a member of the EU?” — a referendum widely seen as an attempt to bolster Orbán’s anti-Ukraine stance.
Orbán recently claimed that Ukraine’s membership would mean “we would have to spend all Hungary’s money on Ukraine,” stoking fears with unverified claims that Ukrainian workers would steal Hungarian jobs and spread disease.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Hungary has obstructed or delayed key EU actions, including vetoing a €6 billion aid package to reimburse countries arming Kyiv, and refusing to endorse several joint declarations supporting Ukraine. Most recently, Hungary’s potential veto of sanctions renewal — including the freezing of €210 billion in Russian central bank assets — has raised alarms across the bloc, with the current measures due to expire on July 31.
“If they felt they had the backing of the US, they would block,” one senior EU official told The Guardian. “It would be huge: basically, it would put them not literally but virtually outside the union.”
The idea of removing Hungary’s voting rights has lingered since 2018, when the European Parliament first triggered Article 7 proceedings over concerns about the erosion of judicial independence. But political hesitancy and protective alliances, such as support from Poland’s previous government, stalled momentum. Now, with Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico possibly replacing Poland as Orbán’s ally, the calculus is shifting again.
Tineke Strik, a Dutch MEP leading the European Parliament’s oversight of Hungary’s rule of law situation, said “Member states really are getting fed up with Orbán,” noting that 19 governments are reportedly open to escalating Article 7 measures, though they lack consensus on a strategy.
Former EU Commissioner László Andor emphasized that while Hungary’s anti-EU stance isn't new, “there are many more emotions now” because Orbán’s government is obstructing issues “which the majority of EU countries consider of vital importance.”
Whether the EU will ultimately act remains uncertain, but the growing frustration is palpable — and the stakes are higher than ever as the bloc tries to maintain unity in the face of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
A tragic plane crash early Thursday morning shook a quiet residential neighborhood in San Diego, California. According to officials, there are two dead, eight injured.
Adidas and Puma are expected to raise prices in the U.S. after Nike increased footwear costs, as rising import tariffs push up expenses across the sportswear industry.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu harshly criticized UK’s Starmer, France’s Macron, and Canada’s Carney for urging a halt to Israel’s military action in Gaza, accusing them of siding with Hamas and undermining justice.
The second meeting of customs leaders from Central Asia and China was held in Almaty, focusing on digitalization, AI integration, border crossing agreements, and expanding cooperation to strengthen regional trade and logistics.
Azerbaijan’s Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Islamic Development Bank Group, with the 2026 Annual Meeting set to take place in Azerbaijan.
The Trump administration is moving toward lifting sanctions on Syria, but officials caution that coordinating between government agencies means the process will take longer than initially expected.
The 7th Ethnosport Culture Festival kicked off in Istanbul with Azerbaijan’s 100-member team and famed Karabakh horses drawing major attention.
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araqchi declared that the United States would bear legal responsibility if Israel launches an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, amid reports of potential Israeli military action and ongoing nuclear negotiations in Rome.
A rare naval misstep has shaken North Korea’s tightly choreographed military image, prompting an urgent internal probe and public scolding from Kim Jong Un.
Baku hosted the 6th plenary meeting of the UN’s GlobE Network, gathering anti-corruption officials from 92 countries to strengthen global cooperation and chart the network’s next steps.
Tensions flare in the India-France Rafale deal as France refuses to share the fighter jet’s source code, limiting India’s ability to integrate indigenous weapons and reducing its combat autonomy.
France has rejected India’s request to share source codes needed to integrate indigenous weapons into Rafale fighter jets. Despite repeated appeals, French manufacturer Dassault Aviation has refused to compromise on the issue
Anton Kobyakov, adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, claimed at the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum that the USSR’s dissolution was legally invalid and that the Soviet Union still exists under constitutional law, framing the Ukraine war as an “internal process.”
AnewZ and Kazakhstan’s Jibek Joly/Silk Way TV channel co-hosted a special AnewZ Talks in Astana at Maqsut Narikbayev University (MNU), uniting global experts and young leaders at Silk Road Media Group’s journalism school to explore the growing intersection of media and diplomacy.
The Tehran Dialogue Forum 2025, scheduled for May 18–19, will host 200 international guests, including 40 current and former European officials.
Meta has signed another major solar energy agreement, acquiring 650 megawatts (MW) of clean power capacity across Kansas and Texas to support the rapid expansion of its AI-driven data centers, the company confirmed Thursday.
Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Thursday that tariffs were a key point of discussion during the G7 finance ministers’ meeting, despite the issue being omitted from the final communique.
Northern France sees major farmer protests as key agricultural reforms face parliamentary review, sparking road blockades and rising tensions.
The Trump administration is moving toward lifting sanctions on Syria, but officials caution that coordinating between government agencies means the process will take longer than initially expected.
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araqchi declared that the United States would bear legal responsibility if Israel launches an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, amid reports of potential Israeli military action and ongoing nuclear negotiations in Rome.
The Trump administration is moving toward lifting sanctions on Syria, but officials caution that coordinating between government agencies means the process will take longer than initially expected.
The 7th Ethnosport Culture Festival kicked off in Istanbul with Azerbaijan’s 100-member team and famed Karabakh horses drawing major attention.
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araqchi declared that the United States would bear legal responsibility if Israel launches an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, amid reports of potential Israeli military action and ongoing nuclear negotiations in Rome.
A rare naval misstep has shaken North Korea’s tightly choreographed military image, prompting an urgent internal probe and public scolding from Kim Jong Un.
Baku hosted the 6th plenary meeting of the UN’s GlobE Network, gathering anti-corruption officials from 92 countries to strengthen global cooperation and chart the network’s next steps.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment