Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán has strongly rejected criticism from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, saying the Ukrainian leader “has things all backwards.”
Reacting to Zelensky’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Orbán wrote on social media that it was “nothing new” for Zelensky to single out the Hungarian government and him personally.
What surprised him, however, was that Zelensky also criticised “every other European leader,” arguing that European support, weapons deliveries, and determination were insufficient.
“This is where things stand,” Orbán said, arguing that Zelensky is misreading the situation while Brussels appears eager to comply with Ukrainian demands. He pointed to the rapid response from EU leaders, noting that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented a roadmap that “accepted every Ukrainian demand,” including the “$800 billion for Ukraine, accelerated EU accession by 2027, and further support all the way until 2040.”
The Hungarian prime minister also addressed the personal nature of the attacks directed at him. He described himself as “a free man who serves his nation,” while portraying Zelensky as “a desperate man” presiding over a war now in its fourth year, despite receiving “every possible assistance” from the United States.
“We will have a few words to say about this as well,” Orbán added. “A national petition is coming, through which we can send a clear message to Brussels: we will not pay!”
