Hungarian PM Orban explains why he opposes EU's financial aid to Ukraine

The European Union should provide financial assistance to Hungary, not Ukraine, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told local outlet Telex on April 19.

Orban argues that the European middle class is allegedly suffering because of the allocation of money to Ukraine. The European Union should thus allot as little aid to Kyiv as possible.

"I am constantly working on avoiding a situation where the money Hungary is owed ends up in Ukraine," Orban said, adding that some call it a veto.

The official also believes that NATO is now entering the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Read also: Hungary files complaint with EU over minority rights in Ukraine — media

"We have now come to the point where Europe sending troops to Ukraine is being seriously considered, which has opened a new chapter in the war," he said.

“The big question right now is whether we can stay out of this thing.”

Orban believes that the "pro-war European mindset" in Europe will "soon begin to fracture" and "diplomacy will have to take control back."

Budapest will block the provision of 2 billion euros ($2.1 billion) of EU aid to Ukraine until "discrimination against Hungarian companies" stops in Ukraine, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said earlier.

Ukrainian-Hungarian relations

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó and his team arrived in Uzhhorod on Jan. 29, where talks were held with Dmytro Kuleba and Andriy Yermak. The negotiations lasted more than six hours.

Kuleba noted that his Hungarian counterpart "did not say anything bad," and the Ukrainian side managed to "get the maximum."

According to the minister, the politicians discussed three topics, namely the rights of the Hungarian minority, negotiations with Russia, and a possible meeting between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

After the talks, Szijjártó said that Hungary would not provide military assistance to Ukraine, but would not refuse humanitarian aid.

Read also: Hungary PM Orbán lifts veto on Ukrainian aid package

During the meeting, the Ukrainian and Hungarian sides made a "powerful step" toward a meeting between President Zelenskyy and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Yermak said.

Orban will meet with Zelenskyy after Ukraine fulfills all of Budapest's conditions, Szijjártó said on Jan. 30.

The conditions for a meeting between Orban and Zelenskyy were not yet ready, the Hungarian diplomat said on March 4.

Read also: Western countries ‘one step away’ from deploying troops to Ukraine — Hungarian PM Orban

The meeting between Orban and Zelenskyy would be the first official bilateral meeting between the two leaders since the start of the full-scale war.

The two spoke in person during the inauguration ceremony of Argentine President Javier Milei on Dec. 11.

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