Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has a clear opinion about Ukraine’s future.Image: www.imago-images.de
November 29, 2025, 9:30 a.mNovember 29, 2025, 9:30 a.m
From the point of view of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, after the war ends, Ukraine should only continue to exist as a “buffer state” between Russia and NATO. “The only possible permanent solution is that the post-war order is built on the fundamental principle that Ukraine becomes the buffer state it once was,” he told “Welt am Sonntag”.
He also believes that ceding territory from Ukraine, which is attacked by Russia, is unavoidable. “Russia retains the territory negotiated at an international peace conference, and everything west of this line – up to the eastern NATO border – forms the territory of the Ukrainian state, which would again exist as a buffer state,” he continued. According to his ideas, NATO and Russia would also agree “on the scope and equipment of the limited Ukrainian armed forces that are allowed to operate in the buffer zone”.
Orban called for an early end to the war in Ukraine at a controversial meeting with Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin on Friday in Moscow. At the same time, he made it clear that he hoped for cheap and stable oil and gas deliveries.
“Time plays into Russia’s hands, not Ukraine’s”
Orban stated in the “WamS” that it was time to give up illusions and face the reality as presented in the US 28-point peace plan. “First: Time plays into Russia’s hands, not Ukraine’s – that means the longer peace is delayed, the more people and territory Ukraine will lose.” Second, Russia will be reintegrated into the global economy in accordance with American guidelines, he said. “Sanctions will be gradually lifted, frozen assets will be used to create American-Russian investment funds, and business will resume.”
As a third point he added: “The fairy tale that the Europeans would finance the war with money from Russia is over. We must admit to our citizens that every euro we have spent so far — and every euro we spend in the future to support Ukraine — will be paid for in full, 100 percent, by the people of Europe.” (sda/dpa)