Europe is witnessing the emergence of increasingly powerful new weapons systems and entering what could be the start of a global arms race, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in an interview with Kossuth Radio on Friday. ‘Everyone is talking about raising military budgets,’ he noted, adding that Europe risks repeating the mistakes of the pre-war eras of 1914 or 1938.
Orbán criticized European leaders for ‘playing with fire’, warning that the continent is moving toward war. He called remarks by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen—urging Europe to be ready for war within five years—deeply dangerous. ‘We must decide now that Hungary will not be drawn into war. We must stand firm on the side of peace,’ he said, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a pro-peace government.
The prime minister suggested that while the situation in Europe is ‘better than a year ago’, the risk of escalation remains. ‘At least now it’s the Europeans who are talking about war, not the Americans,’ he said, noting that Russia’s position has shifted, yet Ukraine continues the fight despite having lost around 20 per cent of its territory. ‘Those who believe the war should continue are mistaken—it’s a frozen front that costs countless lives and draws in other nations.’
According to Orbán, ‘we are in a very dangerous situation’, and peace must be actively created. He argued that only one major power—the United States—seeks peace, and praised President Donald Trump’s stance, lamenting that EU leaders do not support his intentions.
‘Those who believe the war should continue are mistaken—it’s a frozen front that costs countless lives’
Turning to economic issues, Orbán warned that supporting Ukraine means supporting the war. ‘Those who back Ukraine are really backing tax increases,’ he said, criticizing Brussels for planning to allocate 20 per cent of the EU’s next budget to Kyiv while Europe faces serious economic difficulties.
He reiterated his opposition to the Hungarian opposition party Tisza’s proposals, which he said would lead to higher taxes and reduced growth. ‘These ideas have already been tried and failed,’ he remarked. ‘You can’t grow the Hungarian economy through austerity.’
‘You can’t grow the Hungarian economy through austerity’
Orbán highlighted ongoing economic efforts despite wartime pressures: wage increase programmes, a 3 per cent home loan scheme, and what he called ‘Europe’s largest tax cut’, led by Economic Development Minister Márton Nagy.
Discussing his upcoming meeting with Donald Trump, Orbán said the talks could bring Hungary ‘closer to peace and to a peace summit’, while also fostering new US–Hungarian economic cooperation. ‘We’ve been working on this for months. This will be more than a meeting—it will almost be a Hungarian day in America,’ he said.
The prime minister also addressed pension policy, confirming that experts are working on introducing a 14th monthly pension. ‘We made a commitment to pensioners that their benefits would never again lose value, as they did under previous governments. I believe the 14th pension is necessary, and the time to do it is now,’ he said, adding that implementation will follow a phased plan.
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