Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in an interview with public radio on Friday that the Hungarian-Ukrainian dual citizen who was beaten to death in Ukraine during forced conscription is one of us. "This must be taken seriously," he said.
"The victim belongs to our community, not only in the cultural and national sense of the word but also in terms of public law," he added.
PM Orbán dismissed the "cautious wording" of news reports, declaring that the deceased had not simply met his fate due to forced conscription but was "beaten to death". "This is a case that we must investigate," he said, adding that the victim's family must be taken care of and the Ukrainian authorities questioned. "This is all underway."
The deceased, he said, had lived 15-20-30kms from the Hungarian border, "and was beaten to death there".
The prime minister also warned that "we live in an age of dangers", adding that every decision and every word "can have significance here".
PM Orbán said that in light of this, the government's Vote 2025 survey on Ukraine's EU membership had been "justified joint action" on the part of Hungarians.
He said a country in which forced conscription could lead to death "cannot be a member of the European Union", as integrating the country would be to integrate the war "and all its consequences".
The prime minister dismissed a statement made by the Ukrainian Land Forces Command that the victim had not died due to abuse. "This explanation isn't at all satisfactory," he said.
He said the war "cannot be won", and diplomacy rather than prolonged fighting on the frontline should determine its settlement.
PM Orbán said no one had the courage to concede that Ukraine had essentially "lost this war and Europe has also lost this war alongside Ukraine. Instead, they're acting like this war can be won…"
"Diplomacy, a ceasefire and peace negotiations are needed," he added.
PM Orbán also said he rejected taking out an EU loan to finance Ukraine, saying: "I will oppose this right to the very end."
The European economy, he said, had lost its competitiveness and was suffering, paying 3-4 times as much for gas and 2-3 times as much for electricity as its competitors.
So while raising a loan "is problematic in itself, there's no need to give that money to someone else", he said. "Europe should spend it on itself" to restore its economy, he added.