Hungarian Prime Minister Orban Says Russia Has Won The War In Ukraine

JAKARTA - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Tuesday said Russia had won the war in Ukraine ahead of the summit of United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this Friday.

"We are talking now as if this is an endless war situation, but in reality it is not. Ukraine has lost the war. Russia has won this war," Orban told the 'Patriot' YouTube channel in an interview.

"The only question is when and under what circumstances the West, which is behind Ukraine, will admit that this has happened and what is the result of all this," he said.

PM Orban, who has maintained close ties with Putin even after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, became the only EU leader on Monday who did not support a joint statement stating Ukraine should have the freedom to determine its future.

Hungary, most of its energy comes from Russia, is known to refuse to send weapons to Ukraine.

PM Orban also strongly opposed Ukraine's membership in the European Union, saying it would bring disaster to Hungarian farmers and the economy as a whole.

He said Europe had missed an opportunity to negotiate with President Putin under the administration of former US President Joe Biden and is now at risk of its future being decided without his involvement.

"If you are not on the negotiating table, you will be the target," PM Orban said, adding he was partially against a joint European Union statement on Ukraine for making Europe look "concern and sad."

"When two leaders sit down to negotiate with each other, America and Russia, while you are not invited, you will not rush to pick up the phone, you will not run, you will not scream from outside," he said.

In power since 2010, PM Orban has been criticized by several European leaders for his government's relations with Russia and his rejection of military aid for Ukraine.