‘This Is Not Our War’: The Position of Hungary on russia’s War against Ukraine and Its Impact on Regional Security

  • Post category:Issue XXV

Stepan Vidnianskyi
Doctor of History, Full Corresponding Member of the NAS of Ukraine, Head of the Department of History of International Relations and Foreign Policy of Ukraine, Institute of History of Ukraine of the NAS of Ukraine

DOI:

Abstract. This article examines various stages of Ukrainian-Hungarian relations. Until the 2010s, these relations exemplified European policies of good neighbourliness, reconciliation, and solidarity. Hungary actively developed contacts with Ukraine even before the collapse of the USSR and was one of the first countries to recognise Ukraine’s sovereignty and establish diplomatic relations after its independence. However, relations deteriorated in the early 2010s due to issues concerning the rights of the Hungarian national minority in Zakarpattia, leading to diplomatic tensions.
The most significant issue became Hungary’s stance on russia’s war against Ukraine. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s statement that this war does not concern Hungary outraged the Ukrainian authorities and society. Orbán and other high-ranking Hungarian officials criticised sanctions against russia and military aid to Ukraine, emphasising their rejection of active support for Ukraine.
Moreover, the article describes Viktor Orbán’s activities, who has governed Hungary for 14 years and controls all branches of power, creating an alternate reality for his supporters. The government controls the media, which broadcasts Orbán’s favourable fake news, particularly regarding the war in Ukraine. Hungary maintains neutrality and a policy of non-interference in the conflict, supported by most of the population, especially in the provinces where government propaganda prevails.
The article analyses changes in Hungary’s policy towards russia’s war against Ukraine, mainly through statements by influential Hungarian politicians. Despite Orbán’s alignment with the Kremlin, he stresses the importance of Ukraine’s sovereignty for Europe’s security. Meanwhile, there are signs of positive changes in public sentiment in Hungary. Survey results show a significant portion of Hungarians support EU sanctions against russia, and there is strong support for Ukrainian refugees among Central and Eastern European countries.
Keywords: Hungary, Zakarpattia, Viktor Orbán, war, sanctions, propaganda.

Download Article (ukr)

References:

  1. See: Keskeny, E. (2016) ‘My buly pershymy (do 25-richchia vstanovlennia dyplomatychnykh vidnosyn i pidpysannia Dohovoru pro osnovy dobrosusidstva i spivrobitnytstva mizh Uhorshchynoiu i Ukrainoiu)’ [We were the first (on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations and signing the Treaty on Friendship and Cooperation between Hungary and Ukraine)], Diplomatic Ukraine, Issue 17, pp. 416–429.
  2. Udovenko, H. (ed.) (1998) Ukraina na mizhnarodnii areni: zbirnyk dokumentiv i materialiv 1986–1990 rr. [Ukraine in the international arena: a collection of 1986–1990 documents and materials]. Kyiv: Yurinkom-Inter, pp. 20–21.
  3. Vidnianskyi, S. (ed.) (2020) Ukraina v istorii Yevropy XIX — pochatku XXI st.: istorychni narysy [Ukraine in European history, 19th — early 21st century: history essays]. Kyiv: Institute of History of Ukraine of the NAS of Ukraine, p. 630
  4. See: ‘“Ukraina staie Afhanistanom”: Orban zrobyv nyzku skandalnykh zaiav pro rosiisko-ukrainsku viinu’ (2023) Ukrainska Pravda, 27 January. Available at: https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2023/01/27/7386814/; Portnikov, V. (2022) ‘Pro shcho svidchat zaiavy Orbana pro viinu Rosii proty Ukrainy’, Obozrevatel, 30 July. Available at: https://www.obozrevatel.com/ukr/politics-news/pro-scho-svidchat-zayavi-orbana-pro-vijnu-rosii-proti-ukraini.htm; Bondarieva, K. and Petrenko, R. (2024) ‘Orban vvazhaie pomylkoiu, shcho “31 z 32 krain NATO khochut peremohty Rosiiu”’, Ukrainska pravda, 14 June. Available at: https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2024/06/14/7460756/
  5. ‘Orban: Uhorshchyna bude y dali torhuvaty z Rosiieiu, a Yevropa spovzaie u “viinu dvokh slovianskykh krain”’ (2023) Ukrainska pravda, 19 February. Available at: https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2023/02/19/7389998/
  6. Pecheniuk, A. (2024) ‘Zelenskyi zaiavyv, shcho Uhorshchyna demonstruie “neadekvatnu povedinku”’, UNIAN, 29 April. Available at: https://www.unian.ua/politics/vstup-ukrajini-v-nato-volodimir-zelenskiy-vislovivsya-pro-poziciyu-ugorshchini-12238440.html
  7. ‘Polityky v Rumunii ta Uhorshchyni fantazuiut pro “peremohu Rosii”’ (2022) Mirror of the Week, 17 September. Available at: https://zn.ua/ukr/WORLD/politiki-v-rumuniji-ta-uhorshchini-fantazujut-pro-peremohu-rosiji.html
  8. ‘Kliuchovyi propahandyst Orbana pryrivniav Ukrainu do natsystskoi Nimechchyny’ (2022) European Pravda, 29 May. Available at: https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/news/2022/05/29/7140237/
  9. Balachuk, I. and Bondarieva, K. (2024) ‘Uhorshchyna khoche maty osoblyvyi status u NATO cherez Ukrainu’, Ukrainska Pravda, 24 May. Available at: https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2024/05/24/7457430/
  10. Bondarieva K. and Prots, A. (2024) ‘Orban domovyvsia z NATO: Uhorshchyna ne bude pidtrymuvaty Ukrainu y ne blokuvatyme rishen Aliansu shchodo nei’, Ukrainiska Pravda, 12 June. Available at: https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2024/06/12/7460409/
  11. Pavliuk, O. and Oliinyk, T. (2024) ‘Opytuvannia: Maizhe 50% zhyteliv Uhorshchyny proty, aby YeS nadavav Ukraini bud-yaku dopomohu’ Ukrainska Pravda, 30 May. Available at: https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2024/05/30/7458449/
  12. Maksak, H. and Herasymchuk, S. (2020) ‘Istoriia vidnosyn Ukraina — Uhorshchyna yak dynamika ta zmist politychnoho dialohu’, Foreign Policy Council ‘Ukrainian Prism’, 24 February. Available at: http://prismua.org/%D1%96%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%96%D1%8F-%D0%B2%D1%96%D0%B4%D0%BD%D0%BE%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%BD-%D1%83%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%97%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D1%83%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%89%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D1%8F/
  13. Kutielieva, I. and Mazurenko, A. (2024) ‘Siiarto v Rosii zaiavyv, shcho poide na Samit myru v Shveitsarii’, Ukrainska Pravda, 6 June. Available at: https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2024/06/6/7459479/
  14. Bondarieva, K. (2024) ‘Na yevrovyborakh v Uhorshchyni yavka zrosla maizhe na 10 punktiv porivniano z 2019 rokom’, European Pravda, 9 June. Available at: https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/news/2024/06/9/7187755/
  15. Bondarieva, K. (2024) ‘Partiia Orbana pokazala na yevrovyborakh naiprovalnishyi rezultat v istorii’, European Pravda, 10 June. Available at: https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/news/2024/06/10/7187768/
  16. See: Lototska, N. (2024) ‘Sohodni rozpochalosia pivrichne holovuvannia Uhorshchyny u Radi YeS’, ua, 1 July. Available at: https://lb.ua/news/2024/07/01/621781_sogodni_rozpochalosya_pivrichne.html; Ziabkin, A. (2024) ‘Chym vidrizniatymetsia uhorske holovuvannia vid belhiiskoho’, Suspilne, 25 June. Available at: https://suspilne.media/776511-zrobimo-evropu-znovu-velikou-ak-ugorske-golovuvanna-v-es-moze-vplinuti-na-evropejski-ambicii-ukraini/
  17. Kutielieva, I. and Shumilin, O. (2024) ‘Orban pislia rozmovy z Putinym “vidchuv” rozmir rozbizhnostei mizh RF i Ukrainoiu’, Ukrainska Pravda, 5 July. Available at: https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2024/07/5/7464291/
  18. Pohorilov, S. (2024) ‘Orban vzhe zustrivsia z Si Tszinpinom ta obhovoryv viinu RF proty Ukrainy’ Ukrainska Pravda, 8 July. Available at: https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2024/07/8/7464603/
  19. ‘Posol RF poiasnyv, chomu Moskva oholosyla Uhorshchynu nedruzhnoiu krainoiu’ (2023) Ukrainska Pravda, 30 March. Available at: https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2023/03/30/7395693/
  20. ‘Rosiia maie zabraty viiska z Ukrainy dlia dosiahnennia myru — prezydentka Uhorshchyny’ (2023) Ukrainska Pravda, 29 March. Available at: https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2023/03/29/7395647/
  21. ‘Uhorshchyna vystupaie za prypynennia vohniu, ale ne zhodna, shchob Rosiia zberehla okupovani terytorii — MZS’ (2023) Ukrainska Pravda, 26 March. Available at: https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2023/03/26/7395130/
  22. ‘Parlament Uhorshchyny vyslovyvsia pro viinu: krytykuie sanktsii YeS y bidkaietsia cherez uhortsiv na Zakarpatti’ (2023) Ukrainska Pravda, 31 March. Available at: https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2023/03/31/7395960/
  23. Sydorenko, S. (2022) ‘Zdolaty vichnoho Orbana: khto dopomozhe vyity z kryzy u vidnosynakh Ukrainy ta Uhorshchyny’, European Pravda, 13 December. Available at: https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/articles/2022/12/13/7152400/
  24. ‘Uhorshchyna khoche pryshvydshyty rukh Ukrainy v YeS i zberehty zviazky z RF — radnyk Orbana’ (2022) European Pravda, 16 December. Available at: https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/news/2022/12/16/7152651/
  25. Sydorenko, S. (2022) ‘“Ya vystupav proty Ukrainy u spivpratsi z Rosiieiu, i tse bula pomylka”. Interviu hlavy partii “Yobbik”’, European Pravda, 3 December. Available at: https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/interview/2022/12/3/7151805/
  26. ‘Mer uhorskoi stolytsi pislia vidvidyn Buchi poiasnyv, chomu Ukraina maie peremohty u viini’ (2023) Ukrainska Pravda, 12 January. Available at: https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2023/01/12/7384628/
  27. Sydorenko, S. (2024) ‘Alternatyva dlia Uhorshchyny. Yak Peter Madiar stav zahrozoiu dlia Orbana ta choho chekaty Ukraini’, European Pravda, 24 May. Available at: https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/articles/2024/05/24/7186653/
  28. ‘Maizhe polovyna uhortsiv pidtrymuiut sanktsii proty RF, sered vybortsiv Orbana takykh chvert’ (2023) European Pravda, 28 February. Available at: https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/news/2023/02/28/7157112/
  29. ‘V Uhorshchyni riven pidtrymky bizhentsiv z Ukrainy vyiavyvsia naivyshchym u Skhidnii Yevropi’ (2023) European Pravda, 5 June. Available at: https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/news/2023/06/5/7163050/