Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said building an 800,000-strong Ukrainian army would pose a danger to his country, arguing it is more in Budapest’s interest for Europe to strike a deal with Russia than to support arming Ukraine.
On the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Hungarian leader posted on X opposing any further buildup of Ukraine’s forces. He stressed it is in Hungary’s interest to avoid the creation of large armies that Budapest would struggle to defend against.
“This is dangerous. Europe must not fund a massive military build-up on its borders. That path leads to an arms race, higher costs for families, and growing insecurity. Hungary’s priority is restraint, stability, and peace. The war must end, NOW.,” Orban said.
He added that it is not in Hungary’s interest to have a neighboring state with such a large force.
Meanwhile, Hungary’s parliamentary election campaign is underway: the pre-election period officially began on February 21, with voting set for April 12. The ruling Fidesz party and Orban himself could lose for the first time in a long while. A key plank of the prime minister’s campaign has been tough rhetoric toward the EU and Ukraine.
“Brussels and Kyiv are interfering in the elections in Hungary because they want our patriotic government to go, so they can impose their plans. They cannot cut us off from Russian energy, force Ukraine into the EU, make us send money or drag us into war. Hands off! Hungary’s future must be decided solely by the Hungarian people!” he wrote on X.
He said Hungary is facing pressure and blackmail from Brussels. At the same time, Orban also wrote about “Ukrainian threats,” which he claims are influencing the political course Hungary will choose.
“From the very beginning, Hungary has been on the side of peace. By comparison, President Zelensky is blackmailing and threatening Hungary today, even on a symbolic day. All this because we … are not giving money to Ukraine and because we do not reject cheap Russian energy,” Orban said on Facebook.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has said Budapest intends to block the EU’s 20th package of sanctions against Russia. He said Hungary would not support it until Ukraine resumes oil transit to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline.
Earlier, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry responded to statements by Viktor Orban and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico regarding the transit of Russian oil. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said attempts to preserve dependence on Russian energy through blackmail resemble “the behavior of drug addicts.”
