Orban criticizes EU's involvement in Ukraine conflict: "This is not our war"

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has criticized the European Union’s approach to the Ukraine conflict, arguing that Europe's involvement is misguided and detrimental to its own interests. 

Orban has expressed strong disapproval of the EU’s stance, which he believes excessively supports Ukraine and drags Europe deeper into a conflict that does not directly concern it, Caliber.Az reports citing Russian media.

In his remarks, Orban stated, “I criticize European policy because, rather than prioritizing our own interests, we are fully aligned with Ukrainian positions. This alignment pulls us further into the conflict. It is not in Europe’s interest to escalate the situation; instead, we should be seeking ways to end the conflict. Unfortunately, we are becoming a party to it. This is not our war.”

Orban's comments reflect his broader scepticism about the EU’s role in the conflict and echo his earlier actions. In July 2024, Orban undertook a "peace mission" to Ukraine and Russia, aiming to mediate between the two countries and advocate for a ceasefire. His initiative came as part of Hungary’s broader diplomatic efforts to address the conflict and reduce the adverse impacts on European stability. During this mission, Orban met with key officials from both nations, emphasizing Hungary’s stance that Europe should not be drawn into the conflict and should instead focus on diplomatic solutions.

Additionally, Orban has reiterated his belief that Russia does not pose a direct security threat to Europe. He underscored this point by stating, “If Europe has decided to become part of this conflict, Hungary does not share that position.”