According to Prime Minister Orbán, Hungary stands alone in Europe as the sole ally of the United States in advocating for peace in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war—a position that contrasts starkly with Brussels’ current trajectory.
The prime minister welcomed a renewed endorsement from U.S. President Donald Trump, describing their cooperation as rooted in shared values and a common view on global peace. “If Donald Trump had been president in 2022, there would be no war,” PM Orbán stated. He credited Hungary’s consistent peace advocacy as the reason it has become an indispensable partner to those in the U.S. pursuing an end to the conflict.
On the economic front, Prime Minister Orbán asserted that even with a 0.3% GDP growth in 2025, Hungary is capable of sustaining major welfare commitments, including an 11% increase in the minimum wage, expanded family tax benefits, and subsidized home loans. He cited Hungary’s stable 5% budget deficit and its investment-grade financial standing as evidence of sound economic management. Contrary to external narratives, he stressed that Hungary is not facing austerity but is delivering tangible support to families.
One of the most prominent elements of PM Orbán’s message was the continuation of the 13th and the phased introduction of the 14th month pension. Despite criticism from opposition-aligned economists and pressure from Brussels to roll these back, the prime minister defended them as rightful acknowledgements of Hungary’s older generation. “The pension is not a gift or a favor—it is the recognition of a lifetime of work,” he said, promising to resist EU efforts to scale back such benefits.
In Prime Minister Orbán’s view, the current economic direction of the European Union is increasingly shaped by war objectives rather than prosperity. He emphasized that Brussels has issued a directive for member states to shift toward a wartime economy—a move that radically reorients national budgets away from domestic priorities. Over the next decade, he warned, the EU plans to transfer an estimated 1,500 billion dollars to Ukraine: 800 billion to fund the Ukrainian state’s basic functions like pensions and public wages, and another 700 billion for military expenditures.
PM Orbán also warned that the economic burden is only the first step in a broader agenda that threatens Hungarian sovereignty on multiple fronts. “Today the immediate danger is that Hungarian money is being sent to Ukraine,” he said, “but the next threat is even more severe: they want to take our young people too.” Referencing growing discourse in Brussels about a joint European army and unified military command, he cautioned that conscription could be on the horizon. Under such a scenario, it would not be Hungary deciding where its soldiers are deployed, but foreign commanders making decisions over Hungarian lives. This, he asserted, is entirely unacceptable.
PM Orbán also addressed the geopolitical shift in Western Europe, noting the new Dutch government’s tax increases and welfare cuts as a warning. These measures are symptoms of Brussels' push toward a wartime economy. In contrast, he argued, Hungary has avoided such sacrifices by rejecting further payments to Ukraine and resisting pressure to abandon energy imports from Russia.
Criticism was sharply aimed at the Tisza Party, which the prime minister said is a "Brussels creation" aimed at imposing foreign priorities in Hungary. He added that the party hides its true agenda from Hungarian voters, serving instead the interests of Brussels and Kyiv. He also rejected the notion that Tisza could maintain energy subsidies while cutting ties with Russian resources, calling such claims deceitful and economically unfeasible.
As Hungary braces for continued international pressure, Prime Minister Orbán remained firm: Hungary’s strategy of family-centered economic policy, energy security through diversified imports, and peace advocacy on the international stage will not be compromised. “If we stay the course, we can protect both our national interests and our way of life,” he concluded.