In a sharp escalation of rhetoric, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has once again targeted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, this time during a high-profile awards ceremony at the Munich Security Conference. Fresh off receiving the prestigious Ewald von Kleist Award for his ‘outstanding’ contributions to peace, Zelenskyy used the platform to thank key European allies while delivering a pointed jab at Orban.
Zelenskyy expressed deep gratitude to major donors like Germany and the UK for their unwavering support in Kyiv’s defense efforts. ‘We are so grateful to have such partners and friends,’ he said, before pivoting to Orban. ‘And I want to thank Viktor too. You all know who I mean, because in his own way, he inspires us all to be better – better so that we never become like him, someone who has forgotten the word “shame.”‘
The comments come amid ongoing tensions, with the European Union having provided over €134 billion ($159 billion) in aid to Ukraine since the conflict intensified in February 2022. Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who presented the award, remarked that Ukraine deserves even greater recognition, suggesting the Nobel Peace Prize might not suffice.
This is not Zelenskyy’s first dig at Orban. Previously, he quipped that the Hungarian leader should focus on expanding his waistline rather than his army to counter supposed Russian threats. Orban, a vocal critic of EU military aid to Ukraine, fired back on social media platform X, arguing that Zelenskyy’s remarks prove why Ukraine cannot join the bloc. He claimed the statements would help Hungarians see the situation more clearly.
Orban has long opposed Ukraine’s EU and NATO aspirations, repeatedly blocking arms shipments and military funding approvals. In January, he described Zelenskyy as a man in a ‘difficult situation’ while emphasizing Hungary’s continued supply of electricity, fuel, and aid to Ukrainian refugees despite the discord.
As the war drags on, Zelenskyy’s public confrontations with Orban highlight deep divisions within Europe over how to support Ukraine. While Western allies rally behind Kyiv, Hungary’s stance continues to complicate unified action, raising questions about the future of EU solidarity.