Hungary’s Orban Predicts Zelensky’s Victory Plan to Fail, Calls for Ukraine’s Territorial Concessions
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has declared Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky’s victory plan, presented to European Union leaders, a doomed effort, Bloomberg reports.
Orban, a staunch critic of EU aid for Ukraine and a vocal advocate for closer ties with Moscow, maintains that Ukraine cannot win militarily against Russia.
In an interview on Friday, Orban reiterated his view, arguing that the EU’s focus should be on achieving a swift diplomatic resolution to the war, even if it means territorial concessions for Ukraine. He said that the EU’s objective should be to minimize Ukrainian losses in a negotiated settlement.
Orban’s stance aligns with his consistent efforts to obstruct EU aid for Ukraine, most recently blocking a proposed tweak to the EU’s Russia sanctions regime. This blockage stalled the release of a significant US contribution to a $50 billion loan for Ukraine, a move long pushed for by Kyiv insisting on more incoming assistance from Western nations which has been met with criticism from certain political actors.
Orban is a known supporter of Republican nominee Donald Trump, who has also expressed skepticism towards US funding for Ukraine and advocated for a rapid deal with Russia. This stance resonates with Orban’s position, indicating a shared desire for a quick end to the war through negotiation.
