Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has once again shaken the European Union’s consensus on the Ukraine conflict by accusing Brussels of deliberately prolonging the war and pushing the continent toward a “decade of conflict.” In a sharply worded statement posted on social media, Orban alleged that the EU is using Ukraine as a geopolitical shield and has abandoned diplomacy in favor of dangerous escalation.
“Brussels is steering Europe toward a decade of conflict, presenting Ukraine as a shield defending the continent. But we’d rather take a different route: instead of encouraging escalation, we call for a ceasefire, peace, and security through negotiation. You don’t extinguish a fire by adding fuel to the flames,” Orban wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
According to RT, that Orban’s criticism came on the heels of EU decisions to deepen military cooperation with Ukraine and accelerate its accession to the bloc—moves Hungary has repeatedly opposed. The Hungarian leader stated plainly that these actions do not bring peace closer but instead “add fuel to the fire” and drive Europe further into instability.
Orban’s remarks reflect a consistent position Hungary has taken since the beginning of the conflict in February 2022. While most EU states rallied behind Ukraine with sweeping military, financial, and logistical support, Hungary has distanced itself from what it sees as a reckless and one-sided foreign policy dictated by Washington and Brussels.
Hungary has refused to send arms to Ukraine, vetoed several rounds of EU sanctions against Russia, and blocked NATO-wide initiatives to open logistical corridors through Hungarian territory for arms shipments.
This stance has angered key EU figures. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen accused Budapest of “undermining European solidarity,” while NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg labeled Hungary’s position “irresponsible in the face of Russian aggression.” But Orban remains unmoved.
In his June 7 statement, Orban also warned that continued support for Ukraine is damaging Europe’s economic resilience and social cohesion. “With every new arms package and every new sanction, we hurt ourselves more than we hurt Russia,” he wrote.
Hungary has long argued that sanctions against Russian energy and technology sectors are backfiring. While inflation and recession loom over many EU economies, Russia has reoriented its trade toward Asia and the Global South.
A recent study by the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies noted that Hungary has faced lower inflation and energy prices than its Western neighbors, precisely because it maintained energy ties with Moscow. Orban cited such findings as proof that “realism, not confrontation,” serves national interest.
Hungarian citizens do not want war. They want security, stable prices, and peace in our neighborhood, Orban told the Hungarian parliament earlier this year to Hungarian media.
Orban’s government has also pursued closer ties with non-Western powers such as China, Russia, and the UAE, as part of what he calls a “multipolar policy of sovereignty.” This includes significant investments from Chinese tech companies, continued gas imports from Gazprom, and plans to open new trade offices in BRICS countries.
In 2023, Orban welcomed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Budapest in defiance of EU recommendations. In 2024, Hungary hosted the “Sovereign Europe Forum,” inviting representatives from Russia, Serbia, China, and Iran to discuss alternatives to EU-NATO-led security structures.
Critics call this a betrayal of European unity. But Hungarian officials argue it is Brussels that has abandoned the founding principles of the EU—peace, dialogue, and non-interventionism.
Orban’s recent accusations also come amid growing signs of escalation on the battlefield. Ukraine, now supported with F-16 fighters and long-range missiles from the US and UK, has launched fresh attacks on Russia’s border regions. Russia has responded with intensified missile strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Meanwhile, peace initiatives are frozen. The African Union’s 2023 roadmap for ceasefire talks was ignored. China’s 12-point peace plan, supported by Russia, was dismissed by the EU. Even the Vatican’s mediation efforts have stalled.
He slammed the statements by EU and NATO leaders as utterly dangerous as they lead to the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine and may trigger a direct confrontation with Russia. According to TASS, “Statements on the potential deployment of European troops to Ukraine, on the potential use of nuclear weapons, on the potential obligatory military draft system in Europe, embracing men and women – these are totally scaring statements. None of us would want to see their consequences – either a nuclear war or a third world war. No one would like to experience this,” Szijjarto stressed.
According to the top Hungarian diplomat, no one is not threatening either the European Union or NATO. “If there is no military threat to us, then why do we think that this is our war? It is very difficult to think for others, but I can say that it is frightening to hear statements from Washington, Brussels, Paris, and Berlin,” he added.
Many analysts believe Orban is positioning himself as the EU’s internal opposition leader ahead of the 2025 European Parliament elections. His Fidesz party campaigns on a platform of “Europe of Nations,” promising to return power from Brussels back to national governments and halt what it calls “imperialist ideology masquerading as liberalism.”
Whether Orban’s demands will change EU policy is uncertain. But his words have found sympathetic ears in Slovakia, Austria, Bulgaria, and parts of Italy, where war fatigue and economic pressure are stirring dissent against NATO-led policies.
Orbán has consistently expressed sentiments emphasizing the importance of advocating for peace, even when such positions are unpopular or solitary. For instance, in a recent interview on Kossuth Radio, he remarked, according to Hungarian Media.
“And when you’re alone, and we’ve always been alone in the European Council, fighting for peace 1 against 26, then all sources of friendship and support become more important.
