At the center of the discussions is whether the European Union should provide further support to Ukraine, and if so, in what form and at what scale. PM Orbán drew a clear distinction between those advocating continued military and financial aid and those calling for restraint.
Hungary, he emphasized, belongs to the latter group. “We say that no strategic decisions should be taken now,” the prime minister said, arguing that the EU should support ongoing American peace efforts and wait for the outcome of U.S.-Russian negotiations rather than making irreversible commitments.
A particularly contentious issue is the future of frozen Russian assets. PM Orbán explained that until recently, the continuation of asset freezes required unanimous approval by member states every six months, allowing Hungary to express its opposition. He said this legal framework has now been unlawfully altered, removing unanimity and Hungary’s veto rights.
The prime minister described this as a clear breach of EU law and announced that Hungary will pursue legal action.
PM Orbán also warned that confiscating Russian assets and transferring them to Ukraine would amount to an open act of war. “This cannot be interpreted in any other way than as a declaration of war,” he said, adding that Russia would inevitably respond. He revealed that he had recently written a letter to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, asking whether potential retaliatory measures would take into account how individual EU member states voted.
According to PM Orbán, the response made clear that strong countermeasures would follow and that voting behavior would be considered. Hungary, he stressed, has made its position unmistakable and will never support the confiscation of any country’s foreign exchange reserves under any circumstances.
The prime minister also highlighted the particularly difficult position of Belgium, where the majority of frozen Russian assets are held. He noted that Belgium is under intense pressure from EU institutions while simultaneously facing serious economic and legal risks. PM Orbán pointed out that the Belgian financial company managing the assets could face severe consequences, including retaliation against its significant holdings in Russia, potentially destabilizing the Belgian economy.
Expressing sympathy for the Belgian prime minister, he said, “The Belgians are in a very tough situation.”
Looking more broadly, PM Orbán warned that sidelining unanimity and national rights risks eroding the principle of loyal cooperation within the EU. If this becomes standard practice, he argued, it will have far-reaching consequences for the Union as a whole.
In closing, the prime minister cautioned that Europe is moving down a path of militarization and debt-financed commitments that will burden future generations and undermine core EU priorities. “The situation is extremely serious and tense,” PM Orbán said, urging vigilance so that Hungary is not drawn into a war it does not want and did not choose.