BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) – Widely seen as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest ally in the European Union, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has sought to assert Hungary’s neutrality in the war in Ukraine, even as his allies in the EU and NATO assist the embattled country and punish Russia for launching the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II.
Orban, who faces a difficult election on April 3, has refused to supply Ukraine with military aid – alone among Ukraine’s EU neighbors – and has not allowed lethal weapons to be shipped to Ukraine across Hungary’s borders.
Arguing that providing such assistance to Ukraine would draw Hungary into the war, Orban – while avoiding ever mentioning Putin by name – has portrayed himself as the defender of his country’s peace and security while insisting that EU sanctions against Russia not be extended to its energy sector, of which Hungary is a major beneficiary.
“The answer to the question of which side Hungary is on is that Hungary is on Hungary’s side,” Orban wrote Saturday on social media.
While his approach has gained traction among many of his supporters, Orban’s reluctance to act unambiguously in support of Ukraine and his insistence on maintaining his Russian economic interests has led to frustration and outrage among other European leaders – not least the Ukrainian president himself.