Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has publicly responded to criticism from Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time. As is known, the latter rebuked the pro-Russian politician for obstructing Ukraine's accession to the EU.
Points of attention
- The conflict highlights the power dynamics and differing perspectives on Ukraine's European integration.
- The exchange underscores the tensions between Hungarian and Ukrainian leadership, impacting diplomatic relations.
Orban escalates conflict with Zelensky
As mentioned earlier, the President of Ukraine recently harshly criticized the Hungarian leader, adding that he is doing "very dangerous things."
Volodymyr Zelensky also voiced the assumption that Viktor Orban's actions to block Ukraine's accession to the EU are directly related to drawing Kyiv into an internal political struggle against the backdrop of the upcoming 2026 elections.
The head of the Hungarian government did not hesitate to answer:
Yesterday, President Zelensky addressed the Hungarian people. Mr. President! What the Hungarian people think is not decided by the president in Kyiv or the bureaucrats in Brussels.
Viktor Orban
Head of Government of Hungary
He also cynically began to claim that without Hungary's permission, Ukraine would never join the European family.
According to the pro-Russian politician, every Hungarian citizen will have the right to express their opinion on this issue.
"Like it or not, that's how we do it here," he declared.
