Orban: Hungary Considers EU Leaders' Attempts to Continue Military Support for Ukraine Irresponsible

Hungary believes the attempts by European Union leaders to continue military support for Ukraine are irresponsible, as the EU countries simply do not have the funds for this. This was emphasized by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban during a speech on the Kossuth radio station's morning program.

He explained why on March 6 at the summit in Brussels, Hungary, unlike the other 26 EU states, refused to endorse a joint statement regarding Ukraine.

The main reason is that it contradicts Hungary's position in support of a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Additionally, Hungary is convinced that the conflict cannot be resolved on the battlefield and that Ukraine will not be able to emerge victorious.

"If the war has been ongoing for three years and Russia is winning while the U.S. steps aside, what chances do the remaining countries have? The 26 countries had no justification for adopting this statement. If they decide to continue the war, all our last money will be spent on it," said the head of government.

According to him, the summit in Brussels made it clear that Europeans want to fund the maintenance of the Ukrainian army in the future. "Secondly, Ukraine as a state is not functioning. Therefore, we will have to finance not only the Ukrainian army but also the Ukrainian state," the Prime Minister continued. "Thirdly, EU countries have decided that they also need to bolster their own defense capabilities. Our armies are weak, our armaments are insufficient, and Europe must become stronger," said Orban.

Furthermore, many are raising the question of Ukraine's accession to the European Union, which would also mean significant expenses for the entire community. When combining all these factors, it becomes clear that the EU simply will not have enough money for everything, the Prime Minister warned. Therefore, for the continuation of military support for Ukraine, "there may not be money in Europe, and potentially even in America." "So this will not work," Orban stated.

On March 6, at the summit in Brussels, Hungary refused to support the EU's statement on Ukraine. It was published only as a text approved by the other 26 member states and will be discussed again at the next summit on March 20-21. The document states that the EU is still ready to provide Ukraine with all forms of assistance, including military, and will continue to exert pressure on Russia, including through sanctions.