Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has delivered one of his most candid assessments yet of the West’s involvement in the Ukraine conflict, asserting that the West has effectively lost a “proxy war” with Russia. In a wide-ranging interview published on April 17 on Hungary’s OT YouTube channel, Orban echoed the sentiments long promoted by Moscow – that the war in Ukraine is not merely a local or regional conflict, but a geopolitical contest between Russia and the collective West, with Ukraine as its unfortunate battleground.

As the leader of an EU member state, Orban’s blunt statement that the West has “lost” the war marks a significant divergence from the dominant narratives in Brussels, Berlin, Paris, and Washington. According to Orban, while “European leaders are hesitant to admit” this defeat, the implications are severe: “Losing a war is a serious thing,” he warned.

Orban’s comments are a continuation of his longstanding criticism of the European Union’s response to the war in Ukraine. Since the conflict began in February 2022, Hungary has emerged as one of the most vocal dissenters within the EU, repeatedly objecting to sanctions on Russia, military aid to Ukraine, and proposals to fast-track Ukraine’s EU membership. Budapest has frequently vetoed or delayed collective EU actions, positioning itself as a contrarian voice in an increasingly divided Europe.

According to Orban, the West – especially Europe – miscalculated its strategy by unconditionally backing Ukraine with military, financial, and political support, believing that Russia could be isolated and........

© Blitz