While Zelensky is admired all over the democratic world for his courageous leadership in time of war, in Orban’s Hungary he is just another adversary. Orban has condemned the war in Ukraine and backed EU sanctions, but has refused to send weapons to Ukraine or even allow military aid to flow through his country, saying such actions would drag Hungary into the war. Addressing all 27 EU leaders last month, Zelensky singled out Orban, telling him to take sides in Russia’s war in his country. “Victor, do you know what is happening in Mariupol?” he said, linking the horror of the besieged city to the killing of Hungarian Jews during World War II. Asked about the speech in a softball radio interview, Orban gave a restless tone as he defended himself as a defender of Hungarian interests. Rejecting Zelensky as “an actor who uses and works with the knowledge he has acquired”, he said he would not comply with any demands that would lead “our sons to die in someone else’s war” and “destroy” the Hungarian economy. . While Zelensky has repeatedly called for a no-fly zone, he has not called on Western powers to enter the land war. Orban’s supporters can afford to be less diplomatic. “Zelensky is attacking us now,” a pro-government daily wrote. A Fidesz lawmaker, Gyula Budai, accused Zelenskiy of “openly interfering in the Hungarian election campaign”. On the eve of the election in Hungary, Zelensky continued his criticism of his western neighbor, describing Orban as “almost the only one in Europe who openly supports Mr Putin.” But Zelensky’s strong words did not change Hungary’s position, nor did they hurt Orban at the ballot box.
