PM Orbán said he expected “dirty tricks” during the campaign and argued that Ukraine’s oil-related move was intended to make a worst-case scenario suddenly feel real for Hungarian voters: what happens if Hungary is cut off from cheaper Russian energy. He described the goal as creating price shock and instability, “chaos” and “uncertainty,” so the government could be portrayed as unable to protect the country’s interests.
On the practical side, PM Orbán outlined Hungary’s fallback routes and emergency tools. With Druzhba as the main supply line and the Croatian route as a backup, he said Hungary has already begun relying on the supplementary pipeline, while also opening the strategic oil reserves in stages and preparing to refill them through incoming tankers. The situation, he said, is difficult but manageable in the near term, and Hungary is not without leverage.
That leverage, he added, must be used early so “blackmail” does not become a repeat tactic. PM Orbán confirmed that the government has blocked EU decisions important to Ukraine, including stopping the next stage of a previously agreed €90 billion payment and preventing discussion of further measures such as the EU’s 20th sanctions package. He also pointed to a significant pressure point: electricity interconnections through which a substantial share, between 30 and 40 percent, of Ukraine’s imported power arrives from Hungary. In this context, PM Orbán noted that there are Hungarians on the other side of the border as well, and Hungary does not want to take steps that would put Hungarians or the Ukrainian people in a worse situation than the Ukrainian leadership. Therefore, for the time being, the government has refrained from using this tool, although the technical possibility exists.
Beyond the immediate energy dispute, the prime minister warned that Europe is moving closer to direct involvement in the conflict. He cited a recent European Parliament text that “firmly welcomes the creation of a multinational reassurance force for Ukraine,” describing it as a step toward deploying European military units on Ukrainian territory. “The war is knocking on our door,” he said, adding that the current election may be the last before an open European–Russian confrontation becomes a concrete possibility.
PM Orbán also addressed what he described as a widespread misconception about NATO. He stressed that NATO is “a defensive alliance” and does not obligate members to participate in military operations outside NATO territory. In his view, the real risk would emerge if Ukraine were admitted to NATO or the European Union while still at war, as membership could automatically entangle Hungary in the conflict.
He argued that the central issue is not Ukraine alone, but the collapse of Europe’s security architecture. “The key question is not Ukraine, but Europe’s security,” he said, calling for a new Russia–Europe security agreement that would establish arms control mechanisms and reduce military escalation. Without such an agreement, he warned, Europe could enter a spiraling arms race, including proposals to raise military spending to 5 percent of GDP, a level that would place an enormous burden on national economies.
Finally, PM Orbán said Hungary must avoid a situation in which it is forced to live next to an 800,000-strong Ukrainian army without clear limitations and guarantees. Hungary, he argued, is not interested in prolonged militarization but in a regulated, negotiated settlement that ensures long-term stability. Europe, in his view, must prioritize a new security framework over open-ended escalation.