Orbán aide faces backlash for saying Hungary wouldn’t have fought a Russian invasion

Associated Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — One of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s closest aides is facing backlash over statements he made suggesting that Hungary, unlike Ukraine, would not have defended itself against a Russian invasion. The aide, Balázs Orbán, who is not related to the prime minister, said on his podcast on Wednesday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had made an “irresponsible” decision by opting to militarily defend his country after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. He said Hungary had learned from its failed anti-Soviet uprising in 1956 to preserve lives rather than fight for defense. Hungary’s most popular opposition figure, Péter Magyar, called on Thursday for Orbán to resign.