Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban declared on Tuesday that Russia has already secured victory in the Ukraine conflict, urging Western nations supporting Kyiv to acknowledge this reality. The remarks, made during an interview with the Patriot YouTube channel, came hours after Orban rejected a European Union statement reaffirming support for Ukraine ahead of an anticipated meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska later this week.
Orban criticized the EU’s diplomatic posture as “ridiculous and pathetic,” arguing that issuing declarations while excluded from high-stakes negotiations undermines the bloc’s influence. “When two leaders sit down to negotiate—the Americans and the Russians—and you’re not invited, you don’t shout from the outside. If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu,” he said. The Hungarian leader stressed that Moscow’s military successes had effectively decided the war’s outcome, accusing Kyiv’s allies of clinging to “denial.”
“This is no longer an open-ended conflict. Ukraine has lost; Russia has won,” Orban asserted. “The only question now is when the West will admit this and what consequences will follow.” His comments reflect longstanding tensions within the EU, where Hungary has repeatedly opposed sanctions on Russia and arms shipments to Ukraine since the conflict escalated in February 2022. Budapest has also blocked initiatives to fast-track Ukraine’s membership in NATO and the EU, citing concerns over governance and minority rights.
Relations between Hungary and Ukraine have grown increasingly strained due to disputes involving ethnic Hungarians in western Ukraine. Last week, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto escalated tensions by declaring that Kyiv “doesn’t even belong among civilized nations,” referencing the alleged killing of an ethnic Hungarian man during a conscription drive. The incident has intensified calls within Hungary to protect minority communities from what Szijjarto described as “brutal” Ukrainian policies.
Orban’s latest remarks highlight his government’s divergence from mainstream EU and NATO positions on Russia’s military campaign. While most Western allies emphasize continued support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, Hungary has advocated for an immediate ceasefire and criticized sanctions as economically damaging to Europe. Analysts note that Budapest’s stance complicates bloc unity, particularly as debates over aid packages and diplomatic strategies intensify ahead of critical summits.
The upcoming Trump-Putin meeting—a rare direct engagement between U.S. and Russian leaders—has drawn scrutiny for its potential to reshape global diplomacy. Orban’s dismissal of the EU’s role in such talks underscores broader anxieties among smaller member states about being sidelined in major geopolitical decisions. As debates over Ukraine’s future persist, Hungary’s vocal dissent signals deepening fractures within transatlantic alliances.
