Orbán called Ukraine an enemy of Hungary over the issue of Russian energy supplies
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has stated that he considers Ukraine an enemy of his country due to its demands to abandon Russian energy sources. This was reported by DW.
Orbán made the statement on Saturday, 7 February, during an anti-war rally in the city of Szombathely. According to him, the Ukrainian authorities allegedly constantly appeal to the European Union with demands to cut Hungary off from cheap Russian energy resources. The prime minister stressed that as long as Kyiv insists on such decisions, he considers it an enemy of Hungary.
Against the backdrop of these statements, Orbán's government launched a large-scale campaign in January called the national petition, aimed against EU financial and military aid to Ukraine. As part of the campaign, citizens are sent letters with a proposal to speak out against further financing of the war, long-term support for the Ukrainian state, and the rise in the cost of utilities, which the Hungarian authorities link to the war.
Responses to the petition will be accepted until 23 March, approximately three weeks before the general election in Hungary.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has previously warned Budapest that Kyiv will continue to respond more harshly to anti-Ukrainian rhetoric from the Hungarian government.
