A member of protocol arranges the Ukrainian and EU flags during an EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels on Feb 9, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

BUDAPEST - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Wednesday that Ukraine was not ready for membership talks with the European Union (EU).

Its swift accession to the bloc would have unforeseeable consequences, which did not serve the interests of either Hungary or the EU, he added.

Orban said it was important to evaluate whether Ukraine's swift EU accession would genuinely serve the interests of Hungary or the EU

EU membership "is not a title that can be donated, it has fixed conditions," Orban said during a debate in the Hungarian parliament organized around a resolution submitted by the ruling parties.

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Highlighting concerns about the fallout from Ukraine's prospective EU membership, Orban said he was worried about the substantial financial burdens that would entail.

Orban said it was important to evaluate whether Ukraine's swift EU accession would genuinely serve the interests of Hungary or the EU.

"The time for Ukraine's EU accession has not yet come," Orban said, adding that "Ukraine can and should be helped, but this cannot ruin Hungary."

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EU leaders are expected to vote on whether to launch membership talks with Ukraine to the bloc during their summit meeting in Brussels on Dec 14-15.