Hungary has blocked EU proposals more than any other member state in recent history - 19 times.
Brussels has put forward numerous legislative proposals to overcome the persistent resistance of Hungary and Slovakia to the initiatives of the majority. Experts say this strategy is politically and legally risky.
At the EU summit, the leaders of the member states took a step that seemed unthinkable just a few months ago to break the deadlock: they issued joint debt obligations backed by the bloc's common budget to help Ukraine stay afloat amid the ongoing war.
This allowed them to bypass the principle of unanimity among the community states. The agreement was joined by all those who wanted to work together, while Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic were excluded.
Thus, the EU not only managed to raise €90 billion for Ukraine for 2026 and 2027, as it promised, but also paved a new way where the requirement for unanimity can no longer hinder the implementation of the plans of the "coalition of the determined."
According to analysts, this is an unprecedented decision for the union, which has become an impetus for Brussels to seek alternatives to bypass national vetoes. Hungary, in particular, often uses its veto when it comes to Ukraine - from financial assistance to its potential EU membership. To issue joint debt obligations within 24 hours, bypassing Budapest, Prague, and Bratislava, Brussels invoked the principle of "enhanced cooperation" provided for in the EU treaties. This legal maneuver is an extreme measure it resorted to in order to break the deadlock.
Recently, it also used Article 122 of the treaty, with the approval of a qualified majority vote, to immobilize frozen Russian assets located in Europe indefinitely. Until that moment, the assets were held under the standard sanctions regime, which operated on the basis of unanimity and therefore depended on the opinions of Hungary and Slovakia.
Originally, Article 122 was developed as a means to overcome serious economic crises. Its application to unblock funds for Ukraine showed that the bloc can resolve issues on which there is almost complete consensus, bypassing the veto. The strategy is yielding results, but it also has its pitfalls.
"We see a direct intention from the EU leadership to circumvent the potential veto of Hungary and Slovakia and to make important decisions based on qualified majority voting," confirmed Euronews Daniel Hegedüs, regional director of the German Marshall Fund.
"At the same time, I don’t think this is a bulletproof option. Neither from a legal nor a political perspective."
Hungarian Resistance
According to a list compiled by Professor Michal Ovadyk from University College London, since 2011, 15 EU member states have imposed a total of 46 vetoes on 38 issues. Hungary has blocked EU proposals more than any other member state in recent history - 19 times.
Poland ranks second with seven vetoes, while Slovakia, which also often makes headlines due to the controversial decisions of Prime Minister Robert Fico, has two vetoes to its name, both imposed this year.
Hungary has vetoed a significant number of joint foreign policy statements, but it has also opposed providing specific support to Ukraine and starting official negotiations with Kyiv on EU membership.
As a result, most official statements in support of Ukraine have been made on behalf of EU-26, without Hungary. This does not change the fact that all member states can veto decisions requiring unanimity for making significant changes to the bloc's policies.
Mikuláš Dzurinda, head of the Martens Centre think tank and former Prime Minister of Slovakia, told Euronews that leaders such as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron are promoting an initiative to change the voting rules.
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