On Ukraine, he hasn’t framed Kyiv as an enemy — but has studiously avoided any positive appraisals, knowing they would play badly at the ballot box.
That’s because anti-Ukrainian sentiment is deeply rooted in Hungary. According to an autumn 2025 poll by the Policy Solutions think tank, half of Hungarians consider Ukraine dangerous for Hungary, while 64 percent oppose Ukraine’s EU accession and 74 percent believe the Hungarian government shouldn’t send financial aid to Kyiv.
Notably, Zelenskyy is one of the most hated politicians in the country, level with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Péter Magyar really doesn’t have big room for maneuver on Ukraine,” said Policy Solutions Director András Biró-Nagy. Orbán’s anti-Ukraine campaigning via Fidesz-aligned media over the last four years has sharply eroded support for Kyiv, he explained. “On Ukraine, there was no competing narrative … Magyar tries to avoid the issue because he thinks this is a lost cause; he cannot turn it around.”
During the Tisza-organized National Day events in March, a big Ukraine flag was unfurled among the crowd in protest. But Magyar and independent media accused Fidesz of staging the incident to stir controversy. “Once again, Fidesz and its propaganda machine could only muster pathetic lies and a provocation involving a Ukrainian flag,” Magyar said. The ruling party has denied the allegation.
Such attempts to stir up tensions are everywhere. The country’s streets are flooded with billboards depicting the Ukrainian president smiling, with the message: “Don’t let Zelenskyy have the last laugh.” And a new campaign poster design features black-and-white mugshots of Zelenskyy and Magyar under the slogan: “They are dangerous.”
“I cannot imagine a scarier thing than to declare the victim the aggressor … this is what Orbán is doing, it’s really stomach-turning and disgusting,” said MP Timea Szabó of the Dialogue for Hungary green party, who is running for reelection as an independent in a Budapest district.