Dubai: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has warned that the ongoing war in Ukraine risks turning into the European Union’s version of Afghanistan—an open-ended, costly conflict with no clear resolution.
Orbán’s Warning on Ukraine Conflict
Speaking at a media event in Dubai on February 14 alongside former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Orbán highlighted the immense financial burden the EU has shouldered in supporting Ukraine. He noted that the bloc has allocated hundreds of billions of euros in aid since the war began three years ago, Politico reported.
‘An Afghanistan for the EU’
“If President Trump is not able to find a solution, that war could become easily an Afghanistan for the European Union,” Orbán said, drawing a parallel between Ukraine and the United States’ 20-year war in Afghanistan, which ended with the Taliban’s return to power.
“Endless war, endless conflict, no way out … eating up energy, human lives, money, everything,” he added. “Destroying the frame of normal life for the European Union. … We are in serious danger.”
Orbán, one of the few European leaders maintaining ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been a vocal critic of Western military and financial support for Ukraine. While he has repeatedly threatened to block EU aid packages to Kyiv, he has ultimately approved them under pressure.
His comparison contrasts with past analogies likening Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to the Soviet Union’s failed intervention in Afghanistan during the 1980s. Instead, Orbán suggested that the long-term burden now rests on the EU, warning that the prolonged war could drain resources and destabilize Europe.
Orbán’s Stance on the War and Relations with Russia
During the discussion, Orbán also reiterated Moscow’s narrative that the war originated from Ukraine’s NATO aspirations.
However, he pushed back against accusations that he is aligned with the Kremlin, stating, “I’m not a pro-Putin man, I’m a pro-Hungarian guy.”
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“The difficulty is … how to convince the Russians to stop the war while the Russians are basically winning,” he added. “This is the big question.”
Trump’s Role and Growing Concerns
Orbán’s remarks come as former U.S. President Donald Trump—whom he has maintained close ties with—intensifies efforts to push for negotiations to end the war.
Trump’s recent 90-minute phone conversation with Putin has raised concerns in Kyiv and across Europe, fueling speculation that Washington and Moscow could attempt to shape Ukraine’s future without Kyiv’s direct involvement.
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With Trump positioning himself as a potential dealmaker, the geopolitical stakes surrounding the war continue to rise, leaving European leaders wary of the uncertain path ahead.
