Hungarian PM Urges New European Strategy on Ukraine Following U.S. Elections

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has called for a revised European strategy on the Ukraine war following the Republican victory in the United States. Speaking at the Turkic Council summit this week, Orbán suggested that with the changing political landscape in Washington, Europe must now reassess its approach to supporting Ukraine, both militarily and financially.

The Republican win in the U.S. brings up a crucial question for European leaders, Orbán said, "Can Europe alone sustain the current level of military and financial support for Ukraine?" He expressed doubts over Europe's capacity to maintain support at its present level and emphasized the need for a recalibrated strategy. Orbán hinted that European leaders could take initial steps toward this at a summit in Budapest on Thursday.

The Hungarian leader also raised concerns over the €50 billion aid package for Ukraine, jointly financed by the European Union and the United States, a commitment he believes will face fresh scrutiny in light of the U.S. election results. He cautioned that the evolving political landscape could cast doubt on Europe's ability to secure continued financial backing for Ukraine, making the question of future funding even more urgent.

Discussing the broader state of European politics, Orbán pointed to two dominant issues: the protracted conflict in Ukraine and the declining competitiveness of the European Union. He criticized the EU's stance on the Ukraine war, claiming a "pro-war majority" persists despite, in his view, military experts agreeing that the current strategy has failed on the battlefield. He argued that, under Hungary's rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, he has launched a "peace mission" and expressed gratitude to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his support in pursuing this initiative. He revealed that discussions are underway across Europe about shifting from a war-focused strategy to one centered on peace.

Orbán also highlighted Hungary’s reliance on the Turkic Council states for energy, noting the significance of Turkey’s recent natural gas supplies to Hungary, making it the first non-neighboring country to supply Hungary directly. Hungary also recently received its first shipments of gas from Azerbaijan. In addition, Orbán mentioned environmental cooperation efforts, including the establishment of a new Institute for Drought Prevention in Budapest, part of a broader collaboration among Hungary, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan aimed at afforestation in Central Asia’s Fergana Valley.

Orbán also noted that the new European Commission, elected in June, would be taking office by December 1. He expressed doubts that the incoming Commission would shift Brussels' cautious stance toward the Turkic world but encouraged Council members to engage actively with EU leaders.