Orbán Viktor delivers clear messages on national security funding and Ukrainian EU accession ahead of EU leaders' meeting.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán addressed the issue of national security as he arrived in Brussels for a meeting of the Patriotic Europeans for Europe party group ahead of the EU summit.
He reiterated Hungary's commitment to ensuring that Europe is capable of defending its own security independently.
During his remarks, Orbán emphasized Hungary’s support for military spending as essential for European security.
However, he raised concerns about funding sources, suggesting that individual member states should contribute from their own budgets rather than relying on collective EU borrowing.
"We do not want to get into joint debt with anyone," he stated, advocating for contributions to a common European security fund.
Orbán pointed out that Hungary is prepared to contribute, asserting that the country's budget can accommodate this support.
He highlighted that a key topic of discussion at the upcoming summit will be Ukraine's potential EU membership, a matter Hungary firmly opposes.
He articulated concerns over the financial implications of Ukrainian accession, estimating that the direct costs to Hungarian families could amount to 500,000 forints per household in the first year alone, and declared that Hungary will maintain its stance against Ukraine's EU membership.
On the topic of migration, Orbán mentioned that rebel member states would seek to alter current policies ahead of the summit.
He referred to an upcoming open meeting led by Italy aimed at curbing illegal immigration into the EU. In response to questions regarding EU financial aid to Ukraine, he maintained Hungary's refusal to support such measures, suggesting that the EU’s primary mission should be to assist U.S. President
Donald Trump in his efforts to establish peace.
Orbán expressed strong beliefs regarding Hungary's commitment to peace negotiations, citing both humanitarian and economic reasons, including the rising costs of war and lost export opportunities to Russia as serious concerns.
Additionally, when asked about the status of the Budapest Pride parade, Orbán indicated that the government has not made a final decision.
He noted that recent constitutional amendments affirm children’s rights to appropriate education and upbringing as paramount, implying that any events contradicting these interests could face restrictions.
He assured that while there would be no arrests of participants, individuals violating laws would be subject to penalties.
"If you infringe the law, you must pay," he concluded.