Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán publicly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and repeated that Hungary will not support Ukraine's "war efforts" as the country heads to parliamentary elections on April 12. Orbán has cast the vote as a choice between "war and peace," arguing Hungary should not finance Ukraine amid economic stagnation and polls showing Fidesz trailing the opposition. He announced a national petition to reject payments to Ukraine and accused Kyiv of seeking influence over Hungary's government, while opposition leader Peter Magyar says his Tisza movement supports peace and opposes conscription.
Orban Rebukes Zelenskiy, Rules Out Support for Ukraine Ahead of Crucial April Vote
FILE PHOTO: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban holds an international press conference in Budapest, Hungary, January 5, 2026. REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo/File Photo
Budapest, Jan 23 — Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán launched a sharp public rebuke of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday, calling him "a man in a desperate position" and saying Hungary will not back his "war efforts" as Orbán intensifies an anti-Ukraine message ahead of the pivotal parliamentary election on April 12.
What Orbán Said
In a Facebook post addressed directly to Zelenskiy, Orbán wrote that for four years Zelenskiy had been "unable or unwilling to bring a war to an end — despite the fact that the President of the United States has provided every possible assistance to do so."
"Therefore, no matter how much you flatter me, we cannot support your war efforts," Orbán wrote, repeating his rejection of financial aid to Ukraine.
Election Framing and Campaign Moves
Facing stagnant economic growth and opinion polls that show his Fidesz party trailing the opposition Tisza movement, Orbán has framed the April 12 vote as a stark choice between "war and peace," arguing that Hungary should not finance Ukraine’s war effort. He announced a planned "national petition" asking citizens to tell Brussels that "Hungarians won't pay to Ukraine," a campaign aimed largely at rural voters and echoing past messaging on migration and national sovereignty.
Broader Context and Reactions
Orbán, who has maintained close ties with Moscow and Russian President Vladimir Putin, has sought to associate opposition leader Peter Magyar and his Tisza movement with Brussels and Kyiv, accusing Ukraine of having an interest in a change of government in Hungary. "The Ukrainians will be active participants in the Hungarian campaign, because they have a vested interest in a change of government in Hungary," Orbán said at a briefing in Brussels.
Zelenskiy, separately, criticised Europe for being a "fragmented kaleidoscope of small and middle powers" that lacks the courage to act decisively and faces a bleak future unless it stands up to influence from both the United States and Russia.
Representatives of Ukraine's government were not immediately available for comment. Peter Magyar has said Tisza supports peace in Ukraine, rejects conscription and would not back any escalation of the war.
Reporting: Krisztina Than and Anita Komuves. Editing: Barbara Lewis.
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