Hungary’s Orban Criticizes EU’s Appeal for More Ukraine Funding

(MENAFN) Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has sharply criticized the European Union’s recent appeal for increased financial support to Ukraine, describing the request from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as "astonishing."

Orban said he received a letter from von der Leyen outlining Ukraine’s “significant” financing gap and urging EU member states “to send more money.”

"It's astonishing," the Hungarian premier wrote on US social media company X on Monday.

Orban argued that while it has become evident that "a war mafia is siphoning off" European taxpayers' money, instead of enforcing "real oversight or suspending payments," von der Leyen was proposing that EU countries "send even more."

"This whole matter is a bit like trying to help an alcoholic by sending them another crate of vodka. Hungary has not lost its common sense," Orban added.

In her correspondence to EU leaders, von der Leyen suggested potential measures to address Ukraine’s funding shortfall, including issuing a loan backed by frozen Russian assets.

The letter follows last month’s EU summit, where leaders pledged to support Ukraine’s "pressing financial needs" over the next two years.

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