Hungarian official responds to Zelenskyy, accuses of “cozying up to EU elites”, undermining Orbán

He shared this in an interview with Válasz Online.

"I cannot smile and give hugs when I see what is really going on. Because reality does not have to be different from politics. If he is ready for a proper relationship, we will find a framework for it. But how can he use my face for his own election? I did not give him permission to do that! I am the president of another country. It is wrong for him to use me for his domestic politics. There are no Orbán billboards in other countries. Because it would not be ethical," said the president.

Election billboards in Hungary featured the slogan: “They will accept Ukraine into the EU, but we will pay the price! Vote ‘No!’” alongside images of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European People’s Party President Manfred Weber.

Zelenskyy condemned this, emphasizing that the Hungarian Prime Minister is exploiting Ukraine for his own political agenda.

"By not helping us, he is doing Putin a favor. That is why I said that Viktor is making a serious, historic mistake. That is my personal opinion," he stressed.

Hungary’s response

Hungarian government spokesman Zoltán Kovács responded to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's recent interview by accusing him of campaigning for the opposition Tisza Party in Hungary.

"Volodymyr Zelenskyy is now openly campaigning in Hungary for the Tisza Party—accusing Viktor Orban of being ‘anti-European’ and using the war for political gain. From a non-EU leader, this is rich," Kovács wrote on Twitter.

He also criticized Zelenskyy for “lecturing Hungarians” ahead of the referendum on Ukraine’s EU membership and accused him of “cozying up to EU elites” while “demanding others finance his war.”

Kovács concluded: "Zelensky clearly overlooks the basic fact that PM Orbán, as the ELECTED leader of Hungary, will always stand up for Hungary's key national security interests, and not those of Ukraine. Let me be blunt here for a second: No, Ukraine's EU membership is NOT one of those interests, regardless of what Zelensky might say."

• Commenting on the possibility of Russia's war spreading worldwide, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated that the Russians are too weak for this, as they "can't even defeat Ukraine."