Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has stated that his country will not adopt the euro as its currency, citing the European Union’s current state of disintegration. According to Orban, the EU is “falling apart” and he does not want to further tie Hungary’s fate to the bloc. This statement comes despite the fact that EU member states, with the exception of Denmark, are obliged to eventually join the Eurozone. Currently, seven of the 27 EU member states still use their national currencies.

Orban’s comments were made in an interview with economic news site EconomX, where he was asked about the possibility of adopting the euro in Hungary. He replied that it would “definitely not be on my agenda.” The Hungarian leader has been increasingly critical of the EU in recent years, particularly with regards to arms supplies to Ukraine, sanctions against Russia, and a shift towards militarization.

Orban has also been vocal about his opposition to Ukraine’s bid to join the EU, arguing that it would destroy the bloc’s economy and embroil it in a conflict with Russia. He has vowed to veto Kiev’s EU bid and has accused EU leaders of wanting to “go to war” by pushing to fast-track Ukraine’s accession and financing more military aid.

Tensions between Hungary and Ukraine have been exacerbated in recent months by Ukraine’s strikes on Russian energy facilities that supply oil to landlocked Hungary. Orban has also claimed that Kiev and certain senior figures in the EU are conspiring to influence Hungarian domestic politics and put a pro-Ukrainian government in power. This accusation echoes a report from Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, which claimed that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is “seriously studying regime change scenarios” in Hungary due to Orban’s independent policy.

The Hungarian prime minister’s stance on the EU and Ukraine has significant implications for the region’s politics and economy. As the EU continues to navigate its relationship with Ukraine and Russia, Orban’s opposition to further integration with the bloc is likely to be a major point of contention. With seven EU member states still using their national currencies, Hungary’s decision to maintain its own currency may have broader implications for the Eurozone’s future.