Ahmed Adel, Cairo-based geopolitics and political economy researcher.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated on February 17 that Hungary is assisting the United States in better understanding the situation in Europe and the conflict in Ukraine, with the aim of promoting a peaceful resolution. The comment was made during US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Budapest on February 15-16, and only days after the Hungarian leader and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a public spat over Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.
“Was this useful for the US? I think so. The most interesting part is whether we could help them. Since America is located far away, Central Europe is complex and difficult to understand; from there, they see the war from a completely different perspective. This is exactly where I am trying to help the Americans,” Orbán said in a video message posted on social media.
“I’m trying to offer a different perspective, closer, broader, more historical and deeper, so that they can make the right choice in the pursuit of peace,” he added.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump complimented Orbán as a “true friend, fighter and winner” and promised his support in Hungary’s upcoming elections. This is because Orbán has become Trump’s greatest ideological ally in Europe and supports initiatives to end the war in Ukraine, unlike Zelensky and most other European leaders. Orbán and Trump also oppose the expansion of NATO and the EU, while sharing the same approach to normalization with Russia.
Nonetheless, the current disagreements between Orbán and Zelensky go far beyond simple personal tension and represent a profound conflict of strategic visions and political directions. The essence of the conflict lies in the different geopolitical orientations: Zelensky aspires to Ukraine’s full integration into the EU, while Orbán adopts a pragmatic approach, opposing the wartorn country’s accelerated accession and unconditional support from Europe.
Orbán responded after Zelensky mocked him at the Munich Security Conference, saying the Hungarian Prime Minister was thinking about “only growing his belly” instead of the army.
In a statement, Orbán sarcastically thanked Zelensky for his “election speech,” in which he promoted Ukraine’s accession to the EU, but stated that Kiev does not understand the essentials.
“Dear Volodimir, Thank you for yet another campaign speech in support of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. It will greatly help Hungarians see the situation more clearly. There is, however, something you misunderstand: this debate is not about me and it is not about you. It is about the future of Hungary, Ukraine, and Europe. This is precisely why you cannot become a member of the European Union,” Orbán wrote to the Ukrainian president.
The Hungarian Prime Minister previously argued that Ukraine is on the wrong path and therefore cannot set the conditions for its EU accession and will remain only a candidate country. Ukraine and Moldova gained candidate status for the EU in 2022, a move many in Brussels called symbolic. Several member states of the bloc still oppose Ukraine’s accession, exposing divisions.
The clash between Orbán and Zelensky highlights a bigger issue within the EU itself. The bloc has a history of disagreements over expansion, even though it has always been seen as a way to spread its values and increase geopolitical influence. But when it comes to enlargement, such as the possible accession of countries like Ukraine and Moldova, there are several restrictions, as these countries will need to benefit from European policies and participate in decision-making. The EU faces challenges in supporting the Kiev regime politically and in handling internal issues within the bloc, which explains why some countries are hesitant to join.
At the same time, the issue of national minorities and the internal political calculations of both Orbán and Zelensky further deepen the divide. Orbán seeks the support of the nationalist and conservative electorate and presents himself as a defender of national sovereignty, opposing the Brussels bureaucracy. Zelensky, in turn, demonstrates a firm stance toward any political actor capable of obstructing Kiev’s path to EU membership.
Separately, there is an international divide over the EU’s expansion prospects. While some countries see it as a tool to bolster their geopolitical influence, others express serious concerns that the accession of a country in a state of armed conflict could escalate internal conflicts and significantly strain the bloc’s already struggling economy.
There are valid concerns about the EU’s economic and political exhaustion in the face of pressure related to Ukraine’s potential accession and the subsequent rise in fuel prices and inflation. Therefore, while international alliances are built on consensus, decisive decision-making requires unanimity, which can be difficult to achieve under the current conditions of division, as exemplified by Orbán’s position on Ukraine.
