In an interview on Kossuth Rádió, Prime Minister Orbán emphasized the significance of this vote, calling it a “huge success” and declaring that “now begins the final push,” with eight days remaining for people to participate.
He reiterated that admitting Ukraine to the EU equates to importing war into the bloc, warning that Europe is already “deeply involved” in the conflict. “We don’t want the Russian-Ukrainian war to become our war,” he said, underscoring Hungary’s consistent position that the conflict should have been isolated from the beginning. Instead, Western leaders opted to confront Russia in Ukraine, which, he argued, allowed the war to expand and entrenched Ukraine in dependency on foreign aid.
The prime minister criticized the plan to finance Ukraine’s EU integration through massive new loans, describing it as a path toward financial ruin at the EU level. He further noted that the Ukrainian president had attempted to intimidate Hungary. “We acknowledge Ukraine’s heroic resistance,” he said, “but Hungary will not kneel. We are not impressed by President Zelensky’s statements.”
Addressing internal political dynamics, Prime Minister Orbán remarked that opposition parties such as DK and Tisza have supported Ukraine’s EU bid, but this does not justify Zelensky’s tone. In contrast, the Voks 2025 consultation reflects a national-level decision-making process, not driven by party politics but by public will. “There are forces supporting Ukraine, and others standing for Hungarian national interests — people should decide in this light,” he said.
Looking ahead, the prime minister warned of a critical two-week period of international negotiations. He identified a proposed EU embargo on Russian energy imports as a major threat, stating that it would multiply Hungary’s energy costs. “If they succeed, Hungary will have to pay two to three times more for energy,” he said, vowing to block the decision in order to preserve utility cost reductions.
In response to new country-specific recommendations from Brussels, the prime minister said Hungary would not implement measures that impose excessive burdens on citizens, such as abolishing housing subsidies or ending price controls. He accused Brussels of attempting to strip member states of their powers and described an ongoing struggle over national competencies. “They want to tell us how to live in our own countries,” he stated.
Prime Minister Orbán also emphasized the importance of preserving Hungary’s rural communities. Through the Hungarian Village Program, municipalities will now have tools to maintain the character of their towns. “No part of the country should become depopulated,” he said.
Reflecting on the broader political landscape, he described the rise of the European Patriots movement as a positive development for reclaiming national authority. “Political strength comes from convincing the people,” he noted. With growing support, he expressed confidence that more patriot-led governments will emerge across Europe in the coming years.