Hungary views the European Union as a greater threat than Russia, a striking assertion made by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán as his nationalist party ramps up its anti-EU campaign ahead of national elections. The statement reflects a growing divergence in perspectives on security and geopolitical priorities within Europe.
Speaking to supporters on Sunday, February 15, 2026, Orbán claimed that the EU poses a “real danger” to Hungary, according to reports from CNN. With just eight weeks remaining before the April 12th vote, Orbán and his Fidesz party face their most significant challenge since he first came to power in 2010.
Recent independent polls indicate Fidesz trailing the center-right Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar, despite Orbán’s campaign centered on the unsubstantiated claim that the EU would send Hungarian citizens to their deaths in Ukraine if his party loses.
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In a speech delivered on Saturday, February 14th, Orbán likened the European Union to the repressive Soviet regime that dominated Hungary for over 40 years. He also dismissed the widely held belief among many European leaders that Russian President Vladimir Putin represents a primary security threat to the continent.
“We must get used to the idea that those who love freedom do not need to fear the East, but Brussels,” Orbán stated, referring to the de facto capital of the European Union in Belgium. “Spreading fear about Putin is primitive and unserious. But Brussels is a real reality and a source of danger that threatens [us]. This represents a bitter truth, and we will not tolerate it,” he added.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago, Orbán has been a vocal opponent of military and financial aid to Kyiv. He has maintained close ties with Moscow while adopting an aggressive stance toward EU and NATO partners whom he characterizes as instigators of war.
In December, he questioned “who attacked whom” when tens of thousands of Russian troops crossed the border into Ukraine in February 2022. The Hungarian government has long been at odds with the EU, which has frozen billions of euros in funds for Budapest due to concerns that Orbán is dismantling democratic institutions, eroding judicial independence, and overseeing widespread corruption.
In response, Orbán has increasingly acted as a disruptor in EU decision-making, routinely threatening to veto key policies such as providing financial support to Ukraine. As reported by Internationalmedia.co.id, this stance underscores Hungary’s increasingly isolated position within the bloc.
As the election nears, he has increasingly portrayed the Tisza party as a puppet created by the European Union to overthrow his government and serve foreign interests. These claims have been strongly denied by Tisza.
Magyar, the party’s leader, has pledged to repair Hungary’s strained relationships with its Western allies, revitalize the stagnant economy, and return the country to a more democratic path.
In addition to maintaining good relations with Putin, Orbán has also praised U.S. President Donald Trump. Orbán has accused multinational corporations, such as banks and energy companies, of profiting from the war in Ukraine and conspiring with his political opposition to defeat him in the election.
“in Hungary, the oil business, the world of banking, and the Brussels elite are preparing to form a government. They need someone in Hungary who will never reject the demands of Brussels,” he said.
If his party wins a fifth consecutive majority in the election, Orbán promised to continue his goal of cleansing Hungary of entities he believes violate the country’s sovereignty. He then lauded Trump, who has endorsed him ahead of the election, for creating an environment where “false NGOs and journalists, judges, and bought politicians” could be expelled.
“The new American president has rebelled against the global liberal business, media, and political network, thus increasing our chances. We can do a lot and drive foreign influence out of Hungary, along with its agents, who restrict our sovereignty. The Brussels repressive machine is still operating in Hungary. We will clean it up after April,” he stated.
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