Orbán no longer feels that anyone can restrain him — expert

Kateryna Shymkevych, the expert of the Balkan Studies Analytical Center, expressed this opinion on Espreso TV.

“All these statements by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán are made only because he has lost the sense that anyone can restrain him. In other words, the overall situation in the EU and the psychological pressure that Russia exerts on European countries allow Orbán to behave far more brazenly than he did before September this year. Accordingly, he makes statements, freely interprets Ukraine’s sovereignty, and openly claims that Hungarian drones enter Ukraine. However, Hungary’s Foreign Minister says and writes that these are not Hungarian drones. So Orbán has simply broken loose because no one is restraining him. The EU needs to clearly give Orbán red lines, showing that he has crossed all limits and this must stop,” Shimkevych said.

The expert added that Hungary is currently in a deep economic and social crisis. However, due to government control over most media, this information is almost inaccessible to Hungarians.

“Sanctions have been applied against Hungary. The EU has withheld funding for fairly important projects. In my opinion, positive messaging toward the Hungarian population should be strengthened, because Orbán tells Hungarians that the country is developing and that everything is fine. In reality, Hungary is in a deep social and economic crisis. Inflation is constantly rising. Viktor Orbán and his inner circle are mired in corruption scandals. However, because the government and Orbán himself control a huge segment of the media, for many Hungarians who support Ukraine this information reaches them only partially or not at all,” she added.

• On Friday, September 26, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that drones had violated Ukrainian airspace, most likely launched from Hungary.
• “In response, Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó, accused President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of ‘going crazy’ and ‘seeing ghosts.’”
• Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha released the flight path of a Hungarian reconnaissance drone over Zakarpattia’s airspace on Friday, September 26, 2025.
• On september 28, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of "harassment" amid tensions following the incident with Hungarian drones in Ukraine’s airspace.