The campaign is trying to send a message to Brussels that Hungary is opposed to covering Kyiv’s expenses for the next decade
Hungary has launched a national petition calling on citizens to tell EU officials they will not foot the bill for funding Ukraine or higher domestic costs caused by Kiev’s conflict with Moscow.
In a statement on Monday, the Hungarian government said the petition intended “send a message to Brussels” that “we will not pay” to Ukraine’s military spending or to support Kiev for the next decade or to higher energy bills at home. The ballot – which appears to be an informal referendum – offers respondents the chance to vote on three items.
Balazs Hidveghi, parliamentary secretary of state in Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s cabinet, accused the EU of pouring money into Ukraine uncontrollably without consulting the bloc’s citizens. He claimed that Brussels had already spent 170 billion euros ($204 billion) to support Kyiv and added that Brussels now wanted to do more, citing figures of 800 billion euros for Ukraine’s state finances and another 700 billion euros for conflict-related costs.
The official also warned that the funding would come through an increase in savings taxes and an end to household energy price cuts – which he said could be enforced in Hungary if “puppet” A government comes to power in accordance with Brussels.
Orbán’s government has repeatedly clashed with the EU over support for Kyiv since the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022, criticizing sanctions against Russia as damaging to the bloc’s economy and refusing to send arms to Kyiv. Budapest opposed Kyiv’s ambitions to join the EU and NATO, saying it would draw the bloc into direct conflict with Moscow.
Hungary – along with the Czech Republic and Slovakia – also decided not to participate in the EU’s €90 billion loan package for Ukraine, financed through joint loans, after the bloc failed to agree on the use of frozen Russian assets.
The national petition comes ahead of Hungary’s April parliamentary election, with Orbán voted as one of the options “war and peace.”
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