It was irresponsible for Ukraine to defend itself militarily in the face of attack from Russia. The sender of the message is Balázs Orbán, the main advisor to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (unrelated namesake). The statements sparked a storm, suggesting that in the event of an attack by Moscow, Hungary would allow itself to be invaded without offering resistance, as Kiev did instead.
This is the lesson learned, according to him, from Budapest after the overwhelming Soviet revolt in 1956 when the Hungarians rose up against the former USSR. The opposition called for his resignation. The declarations are read as yet another symptom of Hungary’s pro-Russian positions, increasingly distant from both the choices of the European Union and those of NATO.
Statements by Orbán’s political advisor
“Every country has the right to decide its own destiny,” Balazs Orbán said during a podcast, “but on the basis of 1956 we would not have done what President Zelensky did two and a half years ago, because it is irresponsible.” The reference is to the anti-Soviet revolt of 1956, harshly repressed by the Red Army, which killed around 3,000 Hungarian civilians and destroyed a large part of the capital Budapest.
Considered the main political advisor to the Hungarian prime minister, Balazs Orban also stressed that “precious Hungarian lives” must be treated with caution rather than “offering” them for defense. According to local media, Balázs Orbán played an instrumental role in designing much of Hungary’s foreign and domestic strategy. Among his moves is to strengthen relations with some segments of the United States Republican Party, aligned with the former president and current candidate for the White House Donald Trump.
Hungary’s anti-Soviet uprising
Hungary’s anti-Soviet uprising during the Cold War is still a vivid memory in the country and is read as a symbol of heroic struggle for independence and self-determination. Part of Hungarians view their government’s close ties with Russia today as a betrayal of the 1956 revolution’s efforts to oust Soviet soldiers from the country. There was no shortage of reactions to Balázs Orbán’s words. The leader of Hungary’s strongest opposition party, Péter Magyar, wrote in a social media post that the statement “humiliated the memory of thousands of Hungarian freedom fighters, hundreds of whom, unlike Balázs Orbán, were willing to sacrifice their lives for the freedom and independence of their country.”
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Magyar called for the resignation of the political advisor by October 23, the date on which the 68th anniversary of the revolution falls. “Such a man cannot hold public office next to the Hungarian prime minister,” Magyar wrote. Councilor Orbán later claimed that his words had been “distorted”, accusing “pro-war propaganda” of trying to involve Hungary in the war in Ukraine. “The heroes of 1956 are national heroes. Their memory is sacred and inviolable, and the heroes of 1956 were right and did the right thing,” he said, trying to adjust his aim.
Hungary’s position towards Ukraine
Since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, the Hungarian government has taken an ambiguous (not to say adverse) position towards Kiev, seeking to block, delay or undermine the European Union’s efforts to provide financial and military support to the Ukrainians. However, he opposed sanctions against Moscow. Many European leaders, as well as a large part of the EU Parliament, openly accuse Viktor Orbán of acting to divide the EU and promote Russian interests. The Hungarian government has long called for an immediate ceasefire and peace talks over the war in Ukraine.
However, he never spoke out about the territorial integrity of Ukraine or the future security of Europe and other NATO allies. Viktor Orbán’s decision in July to make unannounced visits to Russia and China as soon as the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the EU began also sparked harsh reactions. The nationalist leader described his travels as a “peace mission”. His meeting in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin was the first by an EU leader in more than two years.
