The "five-point Zelenskiy plan" is an open declaration of war on Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban declared on Facebook in response to a report by Politico that EU leaders are drawing up plans to speed up Ukraine's EU membership and circumvent a veto by Budapest.

Politico, the "official newspaper of the Brussels elite," had published the latest military plan of Brussels and Kyiv, Orban said, adding that "They had decided that Ukraine will be admitted to the EU as early as 2027 and they are defying the Hungarian people's decision."

He claimed that the European Commission seeks to remove his government and wants the Tisza party to take power, as it would end Hungary's vetoes, resistance and opt-outs.

According to Politico, the European Commission and EU member states are working on what is being called "reverse enlargement", which would allow Ukraine to take a seat at the EU table before completing all reforms required for full membership. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said his country aims to be technically ready for EU membership by 2027 and has urged that a concrete accession date be included in any future peace arrangement.

The initiative faces significant political obstacles, most notably opposition from Hungary, as Orban has vehemently rejected Ukraine's EU membership, which he has repeatedly said would destroy European economies, including Hungary's in particular.

"Not allowing Ukraine into the European Union is a matter of life and death, because if Ukraine were a member, the EU would already be at war," he said at a public forum.

His foreign minister went further, saying that Ukraine is Hungary's enemy for pushing to ban Russian energy imports, which he argued jeopardises the country's energy security. Peter Szijjarto told a cabinet meeting that a Brussels-Kyiv coalition had been formed with three main objectives: "To ensure that arms deliveries do not stop, that financial transfers to Ukraine do not stop, and that the country is admitted to the EU."

With Fidesz facing a tight and contested election in April, Orban has made Ukraine a central part of his campaign agenda, using it to overshadow the cost-of-living crisis. Orban and other officials have resorted to fearmongering tactics, accusing their rivals of wanting to send money, arms and young Hungarians to fight in Ukraine. Fidesz also launched a pseudo-referendum on Ukraine's EU membership through a national consultation, a tool it has widely used for propaganda.

Earlier this month, Orban posted an AI-generated video in which European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is shown instructing Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar by phone to send money to Ukraine.

The scene, set amid heavy rain and lightning, shows Magyar responding that he must first win the election, after which "everything is possible". The video ends with the narration: "Peter cannot say no to them." Orban acknowledged on social media that the video was AI-generated, but warned that with a "bad decision" it could become reality after 12 April. Fidesz has used the theme to run a billboard campaign.

According to Politico, EU institutions and several member states are reportedly looking to Hungary's April general election as a potential turning point. Several EU officials said they hope that if Orban loses, Magyar's Tisza Party, a member of the European People's Party (EPP), "could change tack on Ukraine" and put the issue to a referendum. A recent poll by the government-aligned Szazadveg institute found that some 56% of Hungarians support Ukraine's EU accession.

The report also noted that some EU actors are considering alternatives should Hungary maintain its veto. These could include seeking support from the United States and asking President Donald Trump to pressure Orban into helping secure an agreement. The US leader, a close ally of the Hungarian leader who endorsed him ahead of the April election, has openly expressed his wish to broker a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. With Ukraine's EU accession by 2027 included in a draft 20-point peace proposal, there are hopes he could reach out to Budapest to help secure an agreement.

As a last resort, according to diplomats cited by the news site, the EU could consider invoking Article 7 of the EU treaty, which allows for the suspension of a member state's voting rights in certain circumstances. EU capitals are gauging support for this scenario in the event that Fidesz is re-elected, though they are not pursuing it before the election for fear it would play into Orban's hands.