Orbán Meets Macron on Ukraine as EU Seeks United Front

French President Emmanuel Macron is seeking to strengthen EU unity on Ukraine, but Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán remains opposed. Meanwhile Brussels is preparing to bypass Hungary as it seeks funding to sustain support for Kyiv and strengthen its defense capabilities.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán traveled to Paris for discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine. The meeting, initiated at Macron’s invitation, came just a day before an emergency summit of EU leaders in Brussels, where discussions will focus on enhancing Europe’s security in light of U.S. military disengagement from the continent.

Tensions have escalated within the European Union as Hungary continues to push back against collective efforts to support Ukraine. While most EU nations have sought to increase aid and security guarantees for Kyiv, Orbán, alongside Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, has opposed these measures, advocating instead for direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Unlike other European leaders, Orbán has aligned himself with U.S. President Donald Trump’s stance on Ukraine, posting on X that "strong men make peace, weak men make war" after Trump publicly admonished Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office.

Macron has been at the forefront of European unity efforts in response to Trump’s foreign policy shifts, organizing two consecutive meetings in Paris with allied nations. Hungary, however, was notably excluded from these talks due to its continued opposition to joint European strategies on Ukraine. The French president has sought to rally support for initiatives that would bolster EU defense capabilities, particularly as the U.S. halts military aid to Ukraine. On Monday, the US administration officially suspended further assistance to Kyiv, raising concerns about the future of Western military backing for the country.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed a plan to provide EU governments with up to €150 billion in loans to strengthen defense spending as the bloc prepares for a future with reduced U.S. involvement. Several initiatives announced by von der Leyen do not require unanimous support from EU member states, a move that could circumvent opposition from Budapest. Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen has also suggested forming a coalition among willing countries to continue supporting Ukraine, effectively sidestepping internal EU resistance.

The European Council has acknowledged the deep divisions within the bloc over the path to securing peace. In a letter sent to Orbán on March 3 and seen by POLITICO, European Council President António Costa highlighted these divergences, particularly regarding the "peace through strength" approach favored by the majority of EU nations.

Diplomats and officials warn that Europe must adopt more radical measures to confront the security challenges posed by Russia’s aggression. One option under discussion is a large-scale joint debt initiative to fund military expenditures—an approach Orbán has vehemently opposed since reluctantly agreeing to a similar measure during the Covid-19 pandemic. Unlike the current defense funding proposals, such an initiative would require unanimous EU approval.

As Brussels seeks to maintain its support for Ukraine and expand the European defense industry, Orbán remains the lone EU leader fully backing Trump’s approach to the conflict. His government’s reluctance to provide arms to Ukraine or endorse security measures aimed at deterring Russia continues to place Hungary at odds with the broader European consensus. With pressure mounting ahead of Thursday’s EU summit, Macron’s meeting with Orbán could be a pivotal moment in determining Hungary’s role in Europe’s shifting security landscape.