'Starting a War Is Not a War Crime': Orbán's Hungary, the EU's Most Anti-Ukraine Government

Why It Matters

Orbán’s anti‑Ukraine stance threatens NATO unity and complicates EU policy coordination on sanctions and military aid, potentially weakening the West’s collective response to Russia’s aggression.

Key Takeaways

• Orbán claims initiating war isn’t a war crime
• Hungary aligns rhetorically with Russia, questioning EU support for Ukraine
• Orbán blames Western powers for prolonging Ukraine conflict
• Hungarian officials suggest EU could end war within 24 hours
• Domestic voices express anti‑Russia sentiment yet demand more aid

Summary

Budapest’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán used a recent interview to argue that starting a war is not a war crime, positioning Hungary’s narrative against the prevailing Western condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He framed the conflict as a product of Western policy failures and suggested that the European Union could end the war within a day if it showed sufficient resolve.

Orbán’s remarks echoed former President Trump’s claim that the West bears responsibility for the war, and he dismissed EU calls for continued Ukrainian resistance as “lies.” He also hinted that Hungary’s own security interests lie in a “large Ukraine” on its eastern border, yet he portrayed Russia’s military advantage as inevitable, thereby rationalizing a more conciliatory stance toward Moscow.

The interview featured stark quotes such as “Starting and waging a war itself is not a war crime” and “The EU need to grow some balls,” underscoring the government’s willingness to challenge NATO consensus. While some Hungarian citizens expressed outright opposition to Russia, the official narrative emphasized diplomatic flexibility and a desire for a “fair peace agreement” that would limit defense ramifications for Hungary.

These statements risk deepening fissures within the EU and NATO, as Hungary’s rhetoric could embolden other member states to question collective sanctions and military aid to Kyiv. The episode highlights the broader challenge of maintaining alliance cohesion when national leaders prioritize divergent geopolitical calculations.

Original Description

Hungary is a member of both the European Union and NATO – yet in recent years it has increasingly stood apart from its allies. From immigration policy to questions of national sovereignty, Budapest has taken a far more confrontational stance toward Brussels and the broader European consensus.

Nowhere has that divide been clearer – or more consequential – than in its approach to the war in Ukraine. While most of Europe has rallied behind Kyiv, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has sought to preserve relations with Vladimir Putin’s Russia. His government has repeatedly resisted EU initiatives aimed at supporting Ukraine, including blocking a critical €90 billion loan package designed to keep President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government financially afloat as the war grinds on.

With Hungary heading into a pivotal election on 12 April, Francis Dearnley travelled to the country to understand why – and to consider what could happen if Orbán loses power.

He spoke to leading figures in the Orbán government, visited sites central to Hungary’s national story, and talked with ordinary people about how they see the war at this crucial moment.

Watch his video dispatch and join him as he tries to answer a question that has become increasingly important for Europe:

What makes Putin’s ‘friend in Europe’ tick?

Read more: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/27/hungary-russia-ukraine-viktor-orban-war-explained-dispatch/

#hungary #orbán #ukraine

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