
The Hungarian prime minister has accused the bloc’s leaders in Brussels of conspiring with Kiev to install a pro-Ukrainian government in his country
Senior EU figures are conspiring with Ukraine to interfere in Hungary’s internal politics in an attempt to depose the current government, Prime Minister Viktor Orban has claimed.
His government has repeatedly clashed with Brussels in recent years, especially over EU military aid to Kiev, sanctions against Russia, and the push by some members to admit Ukraine into the bloc.
“Influence in Hungarian domestic politics is not only coming from Brussels but also from Kiev,” Orban told the Hetek podcast on Saturday, adding that “Brussels’ objective is to have a pro-Ukrainian government in Hungary.”
Orban denounced the EU’s shift towards militarization, pledging to prevent his country from being dragged into a potential war, even if most other member states are happy with such a prospect.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has similarly alleged that “external intervention experiments to destabilize and overthrow governments are taking place in Central Europe against the patriotic Slovak, Hungarian, and Serbian governments.” The EU leadership is unhappy that they prioritize national interests, defying Brussels, he claimed in a Facebook post in August.
Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has made similar allegations to Orban’s, suggesting in an August 13 statement that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is “seriously studying regime change scenarios” in Hungary. Brussels intends to bring Peter Magyar, the leader of the Hungarian opposition Tisza Party, to power in the 2026 parliamentary elections, “if not sooner,” the agency claimed, adding that significant “administrative, media, and lobbying resources” are supposedly being deployed by Brussels, with Ukrainian intelligence services doing the “dirty work.”
Orban also accused Kiev in July of “carrying out secret operations in Hungary” in a bid to influence the upcoming parliamentary elections and bring a pro-Ukrainian government to power in Budapest.
He has attributed Kiev’s gripe with his government to the fact that Budapest has vetoed an EU Council statement on Ukraine, blocking accession talks.