Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely considered one of President Trump’s closest ideological allies among European heads of state, remarked on Thursday—after a contentious meeting with EU leaders in Brussels—that the bloc lacks the financial resources to sustain Ukraine, a nation heavily reliant on both funds and materials, in its ongoing conflict with Russia.
“The EU doesn’t have a single penny left. It has spent all of its money,” Prime Minister Orban said in comments given to the Hungarian YouTube channel Patriota.
“[The EU] talks about wanting to continue arming Ukraine, maintaining the Ukrainian army, and funding the functioning of the Ukrainian state… but can’t find any money in its pockets. I think it’s empty promises,” Orban added.
On the same day—the first day of a European Council summit in Brussels, where the EU’s 27 heads of state gathered to discuss Ukraine, as well as economic, energy, defense, and foreign policy—Orban announced that he had vetoed the European Union’s pro-war consensus on Ukraine and criticized President Volodymyr Zelensky’s approach.
For sensitive proposals, such as those related to foreign or security policy, the European Council—composed of the 27 heads of state in the EU—requires unanimous approval from all member states. This is known as the unanimity rule.
Veto! Enough is enough! We will ask the Hungarian people about the EU-membership of Ukraine. We cannot support any common position on this matter until then. pic.twitter.com/Mvlf7jKrI9
— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) March 20, 2025
Commenting on his refusal to sign a joint EU statement calling for additional military assistance to Kyiv, the prime minister stated: “We cannot support any common position on this matter until then. We will not allow a common European position to be formed that includes Hungary and is pro-war.”
He underscored Hungary’s refusal to shoulder the economic burdens stemming from the war in Ukraine and urged European leaders to back US-led peace initiatives rather than indulging in what he characterized as “military adventures.”
“We must not allow Hungarian families to keep paying for the economic consequences of the war,” Orban said, noting that the economies of all EU member states have been severely impacted by the three-year conflict.
The Hungarian government, under Orban’s leadership, has consistently used its veto power to obstruct or postpone aid packages, asserting, like President Trump, that the EU should prioritize diplomacy over escalating tensions with Russia.
Orban’s repeated vetoes have frustrated pro-war EU politicians, sparking calls from within the European Union’s left-liberal globalist camp to amend the EU Treaty, replacing the unanimity rule with a system based on qualified majority voting.
The Hungarian prime minister isn’t alone when it comes to his opposition to fueling the bloody inter-East Slavic conflict, which the US deep state helped to start spark.
The Hungarian Prime Minister is not alone among EU leaders in opposing the ongoing financing of the bloody inter-Slavic conflict, which many, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., believe was sparked by the U.S. deep state.
Others, such as Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, openly share the same stance.
Speaking directly to Slovak citizens in a video posted to Facebook on Thursday, Fico said: “We insisted that participation in this kind of fundraising [of EU money for military aid to Ukraine] must be voluntary. Otherwise, we would have vetoed [the initiative by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas], as no one can force Slovakia to spend €250 million from its budget to the detriment of priority domestic needs to buy weapons for Ukraine.”
Leaders from the EU’s southern states, including Italy and Spain, also rejected the plan proposed by EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, to allocate an additional €40 billion ($43 billion) in military support to Ukraine.
Others are more low-key about their opposition to the Estonian diplomat’s plan.
As Politico Europe reported:
“Diplomats from half a dozen countries privately slammed Kallas’ plan on Wednesday. Some complained they hadn’t been consulted, and others are concerned about the proposal to base contributions on gross national income. ‘Botched’ was how one EU diplomat put it.”
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