Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban openly labeled Ukraine as an enemy of his country. This strong statement was triggered by Kyiv’s continued demands that Hungary immediately stop purchasing oil and gas from Russia.
Budapest’s move is a form of resistance to the European Union’s efforts to phase out Russia’s energy supplies. This policy is part of the sanctions imposed on Moscow due to the Ukraine conflict which began to escalate since February 2022.
While speaking at a campaign rally in the town of Szombathely at the weekend, Orban accused Ukraine of undermining Hungary’s national security. He emphasized that Ukraine’s push at the international level is very detrimental to the country’s domestic economic stability.
“Ukrainians must stop their constant demands in Brussels to cut off Hungary from cheap Russian energy,” Orban was quoted as saying by Russia Today.
Orban emphasized that Ukraine’s continued stance in forcing the severance of energy relations had changed the status of relations between the two countries. He also warned of the threat of a dramatic spike in household utility bills if the demands were met.
“As long as Ukraine demands that Hungary be cut off from cheap Russian energy, Ukraine is not just our opponent, Ukraine is our enemy,” stressed the Prime Minister.
Apart from energy issues, Orban again voiced his rejection of Ukraine’s plans to join the European Union. He believes that building a military and economic alliance with Kyiv will only bring big problems for the bloc.
“A military or economic alliance with Kyiv would bring difficulties,” Orban said explaining his views.
On Monday (9/1/2026) the Hungarian government officially announced that it would file a legal lawsuit against the European Union. The move was taken in response to what Budapest called a “suicidal” ban on the use of Russian-origin energy.
Currently, the European Commission is debating the 20th sanctions package which includes a ban on maritime services for Russian oil. Previously, the European Council had approved a roadmap to end all remaining Russian gas supplies by the end of 2027.
The value of this dependency is very significant considering the energy economies of scale involved.
In contrast to the majority of other European Union members, Hungary has consistently rejected arms transfers to Ukraine. Budapest actually urged the bloc to prioritize resolving the conflict through diplomacy to avoid the risk of open war between NATO and Russia.
(luc/luc)
[Gambas:Video CNBC]
date:2026-02-09 14:10:00
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