Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has said that Russia has won the war in Ukraine and the only question is when the West, which supports Kiev, will recognise this fact. According to Reuters, Orbán made his remarks in an interview on the Patriot YouTube channel, where he also said that the Ukrainians had lost the war. In doing so, the prime minister criticized Western countries, especially the United States under President Joe Biden, for missing an opportunity to negotiate an end to the conflict with Moscow.

"We talk as if this is an unlimited war, but it is not. The Ukrainians lost the war. Russia won this war," Reuters quoted the prime minister as saying. According to him, the crucial question now is under what circumstances the West will recognise this reality and what steps will result from it. At the same time, Orbán warned that if Europe is not present at the negotiating table, "it will be on the menu" - that is, it will become subject to the decision-making of other powers.

The statements come at a time when key diplomatic negotiations are being prepared in Europe and around the world. According to The Guardian, the 26 member states of the European Union agreed on Monday to a joint statement that Ukrainians must be free to decide their future and to support a lasting peace in accordance with international law. Hungary was the only state that did not sign up to the text.

The statement was aimed at sending a unified message ahead of a planned summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, Reuters reported. In the document, EU member state representatives stressed that any peace must respect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Hungary's decision not to join the declaration has sparked criticism among European politicians, who see it as another step by Budapest towards Moscow. However, according to the Guardian, Orbán reacted on social media, saying that the European Union was not even invited to the US-Russia summit, yet it was setting conditions, which he described as "sad".

According to Euronews, Orbán suggested that the EU should instead hold its own summit with Russia. "Let's give peace a chance," he said. With this statement, the prime minister reiterated his long-standing position that a solution to the conflict in Ukraine should be sought at the negotiating table, not on the battlefield.

According to China's Xinhua news agency, Orbán also argues that European diplomacy must become more involved, otherwise decisions on the continent's future will be taken elsewhere. In doing so, the prime minister reiterated his vision of a "European peace camp", which he has been promoting since the Russian invasion began in 2022.

Within the European Union, Hungary often opposes sanctions against Russia and rejects military support for Ukraine. This position has long caused tensions in Brussels and among NATO partners. Thus, according to Reuters, the statement about "Russia's victory" only confirms that Budapest is staying away from the majority European position even after three and a half years of war.

The situation in Ukraine is still not calming down. According to military analysts quoted by Western media, while Russia has made significant territorial gains in recent months, fierce fighting continues and the future of the conflict remains uncertain. Orbán's statement is thus likely to add further fuel to the fire of political debates within the European Union.

gnews.cz - GH