Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that Ukraine is unlikely to win the war against Russia and that the only way to end the conflict is through a deal between the US and Russia. The White House has previously come out against a pause in fighting, and the US ambassador to Hungary recently slammed Budapest’s calls for peace. Orbán’s position breaks from most European leaders, but aligns with China, as he emphasised his concern for Ukrainians, including ethnic Hungarians who are being conscripted to fight in Ukraine.
“Looking at the reality, the figures, the surroundings, the fact that NATO is not ready to send troops, it is obvious that there is no victory for the poor Ukrainians on the battlefield. That’s my position,” he said.
Widely regarded as the most pro-Kremlin leader in Europe, Orbán has served as Hungary’s premier continuously since 2010, as well as from 1998-2002. His stance on Ukraine has led to a cooling of foreign relations in the area as his administration continues to block Ukrainian grain to protect market prices and vetoes a €500m EU aid package to the embattled nation. However, he reiterated his Western allegiance with Trump at a Bloomberg economic forum in Qatar on Tuesday.
“He is a very good leader… I belong to the club of the veterans and the veterans support each other.”