Orbán calls Ukraine an 'enemy' in election campaign speech
Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán labeled Ukraine an "enemy" due to its demands for Hungary to cut off cheap Russian energy, highlighting Hungary's dependence on Russian supplies and Orbán's close ties to Putin amidst an upcoming election.
- Europe
- DPA
- Published Date: 05:14 | 08 February 2026
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has labelled Ukraine, which is under attack by Russia, an "enemy" of his own country.
"The Ukrainians must stop constantly demanding in Brussels that Hungary be cut off from cheap Russian energy," the right-wing populist said in an election campaign speech in the western Hungarian city of Szombathely on Sunday.
"As long as Ukraine does this, it is our enemy," he added, according to the state news agency MTI.
Orbán is considered Vladimir Putin's closest ally in the European Union, and his country is highly dependent on Russian gas and oil supplies. Unlike the other EU countries, Hungary has not made any serious efforts under Orbán to free itself from its dependence on Russian energy.
Parliamentary elections are due to be held in Hungary on April 12. For the first time in his 16 years in office, Orbán faces a strong challenger.
The Respect and Freedom Party, commonly known as the Tisza Party, led by conservative Péter Magyar, has been well ahead of Orbán's Fidesz party in the opinion polls for more than a year.
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