Report: Orbán sees post-war Ukraine as ‘buffer state’

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has outlined a controversial vision for Ukraine’s future, suggesting the country should exist after the war primarily as a buffer state between Russia and NATO.

In remarks to Sunday’s edition of Die Welt newspaper, published on Friday, Orbán indicated that territorial concessions to Russia would be inevitable.

He spoke of a post-war settlement in which areas negotiated at an international peace conference would remain under Russian control, while all land west of that line – up to Ukraine’s eastern NATO border – would constitute the reduced Ukrainian state.

Orbán also suggested limiting the size and capabilities of Ukrainian armed forces operating within this buffer zone.

His comments followed a contentious visit to Moscow, where he met with President Vladimir Putin to push for a swift end to the conflict while emphasizing Hungary’s interest in stable and favourable energy supplies from Russia.

The Hungarian president said it was time to abandon illusions and face reality as outlined in the US 28-point peace plan. He argued that prolonged delays in reaching a deal would benefit Russia rather than Ukraine, resulting in further losses of territory and lives.

He also said Russia would be gradually reintegrated into the global economy, according to the US plan, with sanctions lifted over time. Additionally, frozen assets would be used to create US-Russian investment funds, and business relations would resume.

Orbán said that European support for Ukraine is fully borne by the population, rejecting the idea that Russian funds contribute financially. “The fairy tale that Europeans are financing the war with Russian money is over.”