Summary
On his MDMEETS podcast, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban criticized the European Union for its ongoing financial support to Ukraine, arguing that the bloc is squandering resources on a conflict where Ukraine has ‘no chance’ of winning against Russia. Orban claimed that the EU’s investment in Ukraine is causing significant economic harm, and that a diplomatic solution is essential to end the war and restore economic stability.
Orban highlighted that the EU has already spent over €185 billion on supporting Ukraine since the war began in February 2022, a figure he described as ‘just crazy’ given the lack of success. He emphasized that the continued financing of Ukraine is creating a situation where the EU is losing both economically and strategically, with high levels of corruption in Ukraine undermining any potential benefits.
The prime minister also criticized EU leaders for insisting on continuing the, he said, ‘the situation and the time is better for the Russian than for us,’ he added. Orban suggested that peace might be ‘very close’ if Brussels joins the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump to stop the fighting between Moscow and Kiev. He proposed that an independent communication channel to Russia should be opened, with Americans negotiating with the Russians first and then Europeans doing the same, to unify the positions of the Americans and Europeans.
Russia maintains that it is open to a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine conflict, but insists that any deal must address the root causes of the crisis and include guarantees that Ukraine will never join NATO, along with the country’s demilitarization, denazification, and recognition of the territorial realities on the ground.
However, Moscow warns that in the absence of reasonable proposals from Kiev and the West, it has no other choice but to continue pursuing its goals using military means.