May 3, Center for Research of Signs of Crimes against the National Security of Ukraine, Peace, Humanity, and the International Law Peacemaker registered Viktor Orban as "an accomplice of Russian war criminals" and "an accomplice in the crimes of the Russian authorities against Ukraine and its citizens."
"Participation in acts of humanitarian aggression against Ukraine. Anti-Ukrainian propagandist. Cooperation with the Russian aggressor," Orban's characterization on the Peacemaker website. Ukraine has repeatedly stated that "Hungary is deliberately reinforcing Russia’s sense of impunity."
What is wrong with Orban from the point of view of a sane European?
- He is the only one in the EU who refuses to allow weapons for Ukraine to pass through the territory of his country and opposes the refusal of Russian gas even in the long term.
- He actively used the theme of the Russian-Ukrainian war for his election program, spreading Russian narratives at the state level that the democratic opposition wants to drag Hungary into the war on the side of Ukraine while its political force stands for peace and stability.
- A few hours after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Viktor Orban said that Hungary does not want and will not supply Ukraine with weapons to protect against the invaders.
- On March 2, Orban banned the supply of weapons to Ukraine in transit through the territory of Hungary. “We reaffirmed the decision not to send troops or weapons to Ukraine. We also confirmed that Hungary will not allow the transit of weapons through its territory.”
- Official Budapest has repeatedly stated that it will oppose the “closed skies” initiative over Ukraine, the organization of a no-fly zone, and the organization of a NATO peacekeeping mission in the conflict zone, manipulating the alleged possibility of a direct military clash between the Russian army and Western countries.
- At the end of January 2019, in response to the US demand to take a tougher stance towards Russia and China, Viktor Orban opposed the pressure, responding that Hungary is striving to carry a more neutral position, and it is beneficial for Hungary to do business with Russia.
- In the spring of 2014, Orban addressed the Ukrainian authorities with a demand to grant autonomy to ethnic Hungarians living in Transcarpathia. Despite frequent accusations from Brussels of "excessive loyalty" to Moscow, he repeatedly declared support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine. Also, he approved the aspirations of Ukraine's entry into the EU. But he stressed that Ukraine needs to become a stable state and have complete control over its borders.
- Orban is an opponent of the sanctions imposed by the US and the EU against Russia in the spring of 2014. He reacted negatively to the closure of the South Stream project.
- In the fall of 2013, Orban spoke at the third congress of the Hungarian diasporas and said: "We may have to build new economic and social systems, as well as a cultural model that is different from the modern European one."
Not only does Ukraine have a difficult relationship with Orban. For example, Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic refused to participate in the Visegrad Four to express their position on Orban's Russian aspirations.
