'Ukraine can't win this war': Orbán's Hungary, Russia’s one European ally | Firsthand

Hungary is a member of both the European Union and NATO – yet in recent years it has increasingly stood apart from its allies. From immigration policy to questions of national sovereignty, Budapest has taken a far more confrontational stance toward Brussels and the broader European consensus. Nowhere has that divide been clearer – or more consequential – than in its approach to the war in Ukraine. While most of Europe has rallied behind Kyiv, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has sought to preserve relations with Vladimir Putin’s Russia. His government has repeatedly resisted EU initiatives aimed at supporting Ukraine, including blocking a critical €90 billion loan package designed to keep President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government financially afloat as the war grinds on. With Hungary heading into a pivotal election on 12 April, Francis Dearnley travelled to the country to understand why – and to consider what could happen if Orbán loses power. He spoke to leading figures in the Orbán government, visited sites central to Hungary’s national story, and talked with ordinary people about how they see the war at this crucial moment. Watch his video dispatch and join him as he tries to answer a question that has become increasingly important for Europe: What makes Putin’s ‘friend in Europe’ tick? Read more: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-new... #hungary #orbán #ukraine