Orban declares Ukraine an enemy of Hungary for demanding a halt to imports of cheap Russian energy

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban declared Ukraine an “enemy” of Hungary during a speech at a rally on February 7.

Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban/PHOTO Profimedia

Orban has repeatedly attacked Kyiv and Brussels during Russia's large-scale war of aggression against Ukraine, the Kyiv Independent writes.

Speaking at a rally in the Hungarian city of Szombathely on February 7, Orbán criticized Ukraine for asking the European Union to stop imports of cheap Russian energy.

“Anyone who says this is an enemy of Hungary, so Ukraine is our enemy”he stated.

His claims come shortly after the EU Council approved plans to ban purchases of Russian gas until 2027.

In October 2025, 12% of EU gas imports came from Russia, up from 45% before the invasion of Ukraine.

Hungary and Slovakia, both countries close to Moscow and which remain heavily dependent on Russian gas, appealed the decision to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Orban has again criticized Ukraine's EU membership aspirations, insisting that while Hungary should cooperate with Ukraine as a neighboring state, Kiev should never be granted EU membership.

“Hungarians should not want military or economic cooperation with Ukrainians, because they are dragging us into a war,” the Hungarian prime minister also said.