Hungary Launches Petition Against EU’s ‘War Agenda’
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has launched a petition against the EU’s ‘war agenda’, warning that the bloc is ‘rapidly drifting’ toward a direct confrontation with Russia. Orban’s Fidesz party approved the proposal, urging Hungarians to join a peace march on October 23.
Orban, a veteran leader known for his long-standing criticism of Brussels’ stance on Russia, addressed supporters at a farmers’ market in Budapest on Saturday. He announced his plan to launch a national petition against Brussels’ war policies, urging every Hungarian to participate in a peace march on October 23. Orban called for a show of solidarity against the EU’s ‘war plan’, which he describes as involving ‘Europe paying, Ukrainians fighting, and Russia being exhausted’.
‘Europe has a war plan that includes going to war against the Russians and giving the Ukrainians everything they ask for. We must stay out of this,’ the prime minister said, calling on every Hungarian to join the drive for peace. He reiterated this call on Facebook, emphasizing the need for Hungarians to demonstrate their opposition to the EU’s war policies.
Orban’s comments come in the context of the EU’s recent discussions at an informal European Council summit in Copenhagen, where leaders debated increasing military aid to Ukraine and creating an EU ‘drone wall’. He argued that these measures signal a growing commitment to war, rather than a path to peace. ‘We are heading into a hot autumn. Europe is drifting toward war at an ever-faster pace. A few weeks ago, in Copenhagen, Brussels unveiled its war plan: Europe pays, Ukrainians fight, and Russia is exhausted,’ Orban wrote.
The petition’s results could be presented at the upcoming EU leaders’ summit in late October, though it remains unclear how Orban intends to use the data. Meanwhile, EU member states continue to insist that aid for Ukraine must continue, framing it as necessary to counter the perceived Russian threat. Recent measures include the €800 billion ReArm Europe program and a pledge by NATO members to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP.
Last month, NATO approved the $500 million Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative, enabling the US to supply weapons to Kiev while European members cover the costs. Russia has dismissed claims of a Russian threat, calling the narrative ‘nonsense’ used by Western governments to justify soaring military budgets and prolong the conflict.