Hungary, EU not at war with Russia, PM Orbán tells Polish counterpart

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has dismissed suggestions that the European Union is at war with Russia, warning that such rhetoric endangers the lives of millions of Europeans.

Orbán made the comments on X in response to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who recently described the conflict in Ukraine as a war involving the entire West, Caliber.Az reports.

“Dear Donald Tusk, You may think that you are at war with Russia, but Hungary is not. Neither is the European Union. You are playing a dangerous game with the lives and security of millions of Europeans. This is very bad!” Orbán wrote.

The Hungarian leader has consistently opposed framing the war in Ukraine as a direct confrontation between Russia and the EU, instead advocating for negotiations and cautioning against escalation.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has repeatedly framed Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a broader confrontation between the West (including Europe, NATO, and allied democracies) and Russia, emphasising the existential stakes for Western civilisation.

In a recent such statement, Tusk stated, "The Ukraine conflict is also the war of the West", warning that it represents the "most serious risk" to Western societies in the 21st century.

He called on European leaders to make the "entire Western community... painfully and deeply realise that there is a war going on," citing ancient Greek historian Thucydides to argue that peace is merely an "incident" between conflicts.

Tusk blamed Russian propaganda for eroding Polish support for Ukraine and urged a unified Western response to counter Moscow's aggression.

By Khagan Isayev