Hungary will prevent EU from committing mistake by making Ukraine a member - Hungarian PM

ROME. Dec 13 (Interfax) - The European Union will commit "a terrible mistake" if it makes Ukraine a member, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Wednesday.

Budapest will prevent that, he said.

"The European Union is getting ready to make a terrible mistake, and they have to be prevented in this - even if 26 want to do this, and only we are opposed," European media quoted Orban as saying.

"That route is closed, because Hungary doesn't agree to that," he said, adding that Budapest is working to remove this issue from the agenda.

Hungary's position is that "if we want to give Ukraine support, a geopolitical signal, then let's give - but that's not membership," he said. "Let's leave membership as what it is," he said.

One should not mix the issues of money and principles, Orban said when speaking about the possibility of unblocking EU funds intended for Hungary.

The Hungarian prime minister has repeatedly opposed the start of talks on Ukraine's accession to the EU, in particular due to Kiev's problems with corruption.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has previously said Hungary will not give in to pressure from EU states aimed at making Budapest support the start of such talks,