— Orban is quoted by the Russian agency RIA Novosti.
In September, L'Antidiplomatico wrote, citing data from the KillNet hacker group, that a “coalition of the willing” plans to take part in the division of Ukraine. The authors of the article claim that they have obtained a map that reveals the West's true plans for the territory of Ukraine.
A fake map showing the division of Ukraine between EU countriesSource: The Insider / The Insider
An article on the website Wieści, which included a report of the Hungarian Prime Minister's speech, repeated the information published on the same day in the pro-Orban Hungarian newspaper “Magyar Nemzet”:
“They are talking about support for Ukraine, but its division is already planned. Brussels has no money left, so they want to raise taxes, tax pensions and abolish media subsidies. They want us to pay war tribute,” Orban began during the ceremony commemorating the 69th anniversary of the 1956 revolution and war of independence. [przypadającą 23 października].
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaking at a ceremony commemorating the 69th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence against the USSR, Budapest, Hungary, October 23, 2025.AKOS KAISER / HANDOUT / PAP
The Hungarian Prime Minister emphasized that this is why [członkowie UE] they want to bring Ukraine into the European Union at all costs. He added that they want to bring the war to Europe and extract money from Ukraine. He called it old colonial logic – divide weakened countries so as not to be left out in the division of the spoils.
“For them, the billions allocated to Ukraine are not wasted money, but an investment. For them, war is an opportunity – to buy a country, to divide a country – the cheapest way to do that is war,” argued Viktor Orban, adding that Ukraine has long ceased to be a “sovereign, independent or truly self-governing country, and its fate is already in the hands of others.”
Viktor Orban's strange speech
Everything about Orban's speech seems strange. The first thing that catches the eye is his claim that the EU plans to tax pensions and abolish social benefits. These issues are not the competence of the EU, but the responsibility of each independent Member State. For example, in Latvia, taxes are paid on the portion of pension income exceeding €1,000 [około 4240 zł] per month – the threshold was doubled in 2025. However, this policy has nothing to do with any decision taken in Brussels.
Similarly there is no evidence of attempts to “press Ukraine into the EU at all costs”. The decision to start accession talks with Ukraine was made by the EU in December 2023. The start of negotiations was announced on June 25, 2024, but the procedures have not yet been launched. Until recently, the main obstacle was Hungary's opposition to Ukraine's membership, but at the end of August POLITICO reported that Donald Trump had convinced Orban to withdraw his objections. Nevertheless, not a single negotiating bloc has been opened so far [są one częścią procedury przystapienia do UE]. On Thursday, October 23, President Zelensky, speaking at a summit of EU leaders in Brussels, called on them to lift what he called the “artificial blockade”.
Even if this process starts to move forward, there is no prospect of “pressing Ukraine into the EU” in the near future. In February 2025, Ursula von der Leyen stated that if Ukraine maintained the pace of reforms, it could become an EU member by 2030. However, in July, Chancellor Friedrich Merz presented a less optimistic forecast, saying that in his opinion Ukraine was unlikely to join the EU before 2034.
Insider's “truth meter” showing that everything Viktor Orban said about Ukraine and the EU is untrueSource: The Insider / The Insider
The alleged partitions of Ukraine: a long-debunked forgery
As for the EU's alleged plans to divide Ukraine, it is unclear where Orban obtained such information, and he did not provide any specific details. Similar reports were spread several times by Kremlin-controlled media, but each time they turned out to be false.
Map showing the planned location of the so-called “coalition of volunteers” in Ukraine, mentioned by News (though not specifically by Orban), is long debunked forgery.
The plan was allegedly approved by French General Thierry Burkhardt, former chief of the French defense staff. However, even his name is misspelled in the document – “Burkhardt” instead of Burkhard. Its title is also given incorrectly: “Chef d'etat-major general des armees francaises” instead Chef d'etat-major des armees. Moreover, the creator of the fake was apparently unaware that the plural in French uses a preposition desand no deand that's why he wrote Les forces conjointes de Coalition de Volontaires instead Les forces conjointes de la coalition des volontairesalso omitting the article la.
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Hungary v Ukraine
Incidentally, the only EU member state that has actually been involved in activities potentially threatening Ukraine's territorial integrity is Hungary. Since 2011 – immediately after Orban came to power – ethnic Hungarians living in the border areas of Ukrainian Transcarpathia were issued identity documents entitling them to Hungarian citizenship. In 2015, the Hungarian authorities announced that approximately 100,000 Ukrainian Hungarians have already taken advantage of this opportunity. Since Ukrainian law does not allow dual citizenship, Hungarian diplomats advised new citizens to hide this fact from Ukrainian authorities. In 2018, this initiative led to a diplomatic scandal in which Ukraine announced the Hungarian consul in Berehovo in Transcarpathia – the center of the regional ethnic Hungarian community – persona non grata.
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Also in 2018, when Ukraine decided to restore the military base in Berehovo, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto criticized this decision, claiming that the Ukrainian government “treats [lokalną] the Hungarian community as a threat to Kiev, which is disgusting.” Before the 2019 parliamentary elections in Ukraine, several Hungarian officials, including Szijjarto, participated in election rallies of candidates supporting Hungary. In violation of Ukrainian law, one of the Hungarian foundations also financed the installation of election billboards in Transcarpathia.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
