Hungarian PM: Europeans turning against funding Ukraine war

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that public opinion in Europe regarding the conflict in Ukraine is changing, writing about the shift on his X account.

"Hope lives on. US–Russia talks could deliver a ceasefire, even a lasting peace with Ukraine's involvement. Meanwhile, in Western Europe, the big lie is collapsing: funding this war does have a financial cost. As the bills arrive, public opinion is turning," Caliber.Az quotes Orban's post on the social network.

He added that ordinary Europeans can stop Europe from becoming further involved in a full-scale war. "The people, not the elites, will stop Europe from marching into war."

In the video attached below the post, Orban suggested that negotiations between Russia and the United States could form the basis for a ceasefire and lasting peace.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has frequently voiced skepticism about Europe's deep involvement in the Ukraine conflict, consistently advocating for an immediate ceasefire and peace negotiations rather than continued military and financial support for Kyiv.

As of late December 2025, negotiations between Russia and the United States on ending the war in Ukraine remain active but face significant hurdles, with no major breakthrough achieved in the most recent rounds. The process is driven by U.S. mediation under President Donald Trump, primarily through shuttle diplomacy involving special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner. 

The latest intensive sessions took place in Miami, Florida, over December 19–21, where U.S. officials met Ukrainian and European counterparts (including Ukraine's Rustem Umerov and advisers from Germany, France, and the UK) to align on security guarantees, economic recovery, and refinements to a Ukrainian-proposed 20-point peace framework. Separate meetings occurred with Russia's envoy Kirill Dmitriev. All sides, including Witkoff and Dmitriev, described these as "productive and constructive," emphasising commitments to peace, stopping hostilities, and long-term stability for Ukraine.

Core sticking points persist: territorial control (particularly in Donbas and other regions), the nature and enforceability of security assurances (Ukraine seeks NATO-like protections), and reconstruction details. 

By Khagan Isayev