Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in a radio interview on Nov. 3, as cited by Hungarian news outlet Telex, that if Donald Trump wins the U.S. presidency, "Europe cannot remain pro-war," supposedly referring to EU's defense assistance to Ukraine, which Orban has repeatedly criticized.
According to Telex, Orban also said that Europe can not bear the burden of Russia's war against Ukraine alone, into which Europe was "irresponsibly dragged", and Europeans will also have to "adapt to the situation."
Under Orban's leadership, Hungary has repeatedly blocked aid to Kyiv, pushed for negotiations with Moscow, and spouted Kremlin talking points. Orban is a long-standing ally of Trump, whose potential presidency of the U.S. has raised concerns about the fate of Washington's further defense assistance to Ukraine.
Orban recently dismissed President Volodymyr Zelensky's victory plan, which calls for more long-range weapons and the permission to use them against Russian targets, as "dangerous" and said that the EU must "switch to a peace strategy instead of a war strategy."
In July, Orban embarked on a "peace tour" and met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and Trump. Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly claimed he could end Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 24 hours but failed to explain how he would do so.
Orban is also preparing to deliver a significant policy concession to Trump, potentially allowing him to evade a $50 billion loan intended to support Ukraine amid its ongoing war with Russia, Politico reported on Oct. 14.
Should Trump win the presidency in November, this move would enable him to reassure Republican voters that he would not provide additional financial assistance to Ukraine, according to Politico.
Francis Farrell
