politics
February 17, 2026
Orban slams Brussels as ‘threat’ to Hungary’s sovereignty
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says his country should fear the EU rather than Russia
TL;DR
- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban warned that the EU poses a "direct threat" to his country's sovereignty.
- Orban accused Brussels of an "oppressive machinery" attempting to steer the upcoming parliamentary elections against his government.
- He stated that those who love freedom should "not be afraid of the East, but rather of Brussels."
- Orban criticized claims of a potential Russian attack on the EU after the Ukraine conflict as "nonsense."
- He pledged to push out "foreign influence that limits our sovereignty together with its agents" before the April election.
- Orban has been a vocal critic of EU policies, particularly its support for Kiev and has opposed Ukraine's EU membership.
- EU officials reportedly see the upcoming election as an opportunity to "neutralize Orban."
- Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky criticized Orban at the Munich Security Conference, with Orban responding that such remarks are why Ukraine cannot become an EU member.
- US President Donald Trump endorsed Orban as a "truly strong and powerful leader."