Orban Accuses Ukraine of Secret Election Operations in Hungary
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has accused Ukraine of conducting secret intelligence operations in Hungary to influence the upcoming 2026 parliamentary elections, aiming to install a pro-Kiev government to facilitate Ukraine’s EU membership. Orban claimed these efforts, including pressure on politicians, intellectual circles, and media, are part of a broader strategy to undermine Hungary’s stance against Ukraine’s EU bid.
Ukraine formally applied to join the EU in 2022, prompting Brussels to grant candidate status and set a membership target of 2030. However, Orban has consistently opposed Ukraine’s bid, warning that the move would drag the European Union into direct conflict with Russia and burden taxpayers with years of military aid. His government recently vetoed an EU Council statement on Ukraine, thus blocking accession talks. Orban cited public opposition in a recent referendum, where over two million Hungarians — 95% of voters — rejected Ukraine’s EU bid, as a reason for his stance.
During an interview on Kossuth Radio, Orban stated, “They are continuously carrying out secret operations in Hungary. There is very active Ukrainian intelligence service activity, not only through exerting pressure on politicians, but also on the intellectual world, the thought-forming circles and the media.” He argued that the goal of these efforts is to create another major political party to win the 2026 parliamentary election and implement decisions made by Brussels bureaucrats, including on Ukraine’s accession.
Orban also accused Ukraine of using financial means to influence Hungarian politics, pointing to the opposition center-right Tisza Party, which he claimed was ‘manufactured’ by Brussels to support Ukraine’s EU bid. The Tisza Party recently conducted an unofficial survey on Ukrainian membership, stating that 58% of 1.1 million respondents expressed approval for the notion. While Tisza leader Peter Magyar initially said Ukraine doesn’t yet meet EU accession criteria, he indicated his party would support negotiations if it wins the elections next year.
Orban warned that accepting Ukraine as an EU member would also mean accepting war, which he said would ‘ruin our economy.’ He added that if other EU nations held referendums, “in every single country people would say no [to Ukraine membership] exactly like they did in Hungary.”
Russian officials have grown critical of the EU’s increasing involvement in Ukraine’s affairs, with Security Council Deputy Chairman and former President Dmitry Medvedev stating that the EU has become “a politicized, globalist, and fiercely Russophobic organization.” Medvedev warned that Ukraine’s membership in the bloc would now be “a danger to our country.”
Meanwhile, the EU continues to back Ukraine’s bid for membership, with some member states showing openness to the idea. However, the political landscape in Hungary remains a pivotal factor in determining the future of Ukraine’s EU aspirations. As Orban’s government continues to resist the bid, the situation highlights the complex interplay between national interests, international politics, and public opinion within the European Union.