Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has slammed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him a “man in a desperate position,” Reuters reports.
Orbán also said he would not support Zelensky’s “efforts to wage war,” further underscoring his disdain for Ukraine ahead of crucial elections in April.
Hungary’s economy is currently stagnant, and Orbán’s Fidesz party is trailing the opposition Tisza in polls, but Orbán has described the upcoming elections as a choice between war and peace, regularly portraying Ukraine as unworthy of financial support.
In a Facebook post on the 22nd of January, Orbán addressed Zelensky directly, saying that he had been unable or unwilling to end the war, despite the US president providing all possible assistance to do so.
The Hungarian added that precisely because of this, no matter how flattering he was, he would not support efforts to continue the war.
On the 22nd of January, Zelensky criticized Europe for its division and lack of courage to act decisively. Europe faces a bleak future if it fails to stand united against Russia and the US.
Meanwhile, Orbán, who has maintained friendly relations with the Kremlin despite the aggression in Ukraine, has linked the leader of the opposition party Tisza to Brussels and Ukraine, and has accused Kiev of plans to change the Hungarian government. He said he would create a nationwide petition that Hungarians could sign, telling Brussels that he would not provide funds to Ukraine. This is how Orbán is attracting voters, mainly from rural areas.
Meanwhile, Tisza leader Péter Magyar said his party supports peace in Ukraine, is against conscription and will not support an escalation of the war.
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