In a fiery and impassioned state of the nation address on Saturday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban issued a strong rebuke to Brussels, criticising its handling of the Ukraine crisis and asserting Hungary’s steadfast commitment to a pro-peace stance.

Orban did not mince words as he expressed his dissatisfaction with Brussels’ approach to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. “Brussels’ Ukraine strategy has failed spectacularly,” he said, emphasising the dire situation not only on the battlefield but also in the realm of international politics.

“In vain we said that this is a war between two Slavic peoples, and not ours. Brussels threw itself into the conflict headfirst,” Orban added, highlighting Hungary’s isolation in maintaining a pro-peace position.

He drew parallels to Hungary’s anti-migration policy, stating: “We will be right on the issue of the war, just as we were right on the issue of migration.”

Despite the tragic loss of lives in the conflict, Orban reiterated Hungary’s unyielding stance, confirming “Hungary’s position remains unchanged. We will not allow ourselves to be dragged into the war. We will not supply weapons even if there are great powers which do not like this.”

Injecting a touch of humour into his address, Orban remarked: “Brussels’ crisis management is ingenious in its own way: it is brilliant for America, but not for anyone else.” The crowd responded with laughter as he criticised the pressure exerted by Brussels, revealing: “Ambassadors go to Parliament to check whether the Dollar Left is behaving well. We Hungarians have had enough time to learn how to handle pressure.”

Highlighting Hungary’s resilience, Orban drew an analogy. He said: “We are like a good espresso: it takes high pressure to press the best out of us. If the issue in question was not a war, we could even be grateful.”

In a final plea to be left alone, Orban concluded: “Dear friends, sooner or later people everywhere will realize that everyone is better off if they leave us alone. In diplomacy, this is elegantly referred to as a ‘tolerance offer.’ We patiently wait until it is finally accepted.”

Orban’s bold statements underscore Hungary’s determination to chart its own course amidst the geopolitical complexities surrounding the Ukraine conflict, signalling a clear message to Brussels that Hungary will not be swayed from its principled position.

Hungary has blocked the approval of the 13th package of EU sanctions against Russia, according to unnamed officials speaking to Financial Times earlier this week.

A government official disclosed that Hungary opposed the imposition of new sanctions, citing concerns over the inclusion of Chinese companies in the list.

Another official well-versed in the negotiations diplomatically portrayed them as “a very fruitful exchange,” providing nuanced insight into Hungary’s stance. According to this source, the Hungarian ambassador sought “a bit more time to analyse the content of the proposals”.