Leaders of Slovakia and Hungary on March 1 threatened to block EU statements during a key summit next week unless the bloc calls for an immediate ceasefire and launches talks with Russia. European Council President Antonio Costa called a meeting of EU leaders on March 6 to discuss defense spending,

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Hungary will be the one to decide whether Ukraine is able to achieve its hopes of joining the European Union in the future, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Saturday in an escalation of his adversarial posture toward Hungary’s war-ravaged neighbor.

Hungary's prime minister has urged the European Union to start direct discussions with Russia on a ceasefire in Ukraine and drop plans for a joint declaration at an extraordinary EU summit next week,

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban reiterated his opposition to Ukraine's accession to the European Union on Feb. 28, warning that it would "destroy" Hungary, the country's public broadcaster Hirado reported.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán believes that Ukraine's joining the European Union is unthinkable here and now and could destroy the Hungarian economy, according to Hungarian Radio Kossuth. Specifically,