Zelenskyy spoke about European unity in Davos, mentioning the Hungarian prime minister.

In his speech at the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the slowness of European support for Ukraine and the lack of a unified approach. In his remarks, the Ukrainian president sharply criticized several European leaders, including Viktor Orbán, and at the same time called on them not to allow their countries to “become little Moscows.” At the Davos plenary session, Zelenskyy also stated that Ukraine is now defending itself for the third year in a full-scale war, while Europe still is not capable of making fast, unified decisions. According to a Reuters report, the Ukrainian president put it by saying that some European leaders “are still waiting,” even though the conflict has a direct impact on Europe’s security as well. In his speech, Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine is not asking for special treatment, but expects predictable and consistent support from its allies.

International interpretations

International media outlets covering the speech—including Reuters, the Financial Times, and the Associated Press—pointed out that Zelenskyy’s words fit into his earlier statements in which he criticized Europe’s internal divisions. Reuters noted that the Ukrainian leadership has previously, on several occasions, criticized those EU member states that take a more cautious position regarding military and financial support for Ukraine. In this context, the reports also mentioned Hungary as a country that regularly represents a differing stance in EU debates.

The response did not take long

Following the Davos speech, Viktor Orbán responded in a statement and on social media, saying Hungary’s position remains unchanged: the war must be ended through negotiations, not through further military escalation. Orbán stressed that Hungary provides humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, but does not support decisions that, in his view, would endanger the European economy or the security of energy supplies. The prime minister stated that Hungary shapes its position in EU debates in line with its own national interests.

Ministerial statements

After the speech, several members of the Hungarian government also spoke out. In their statements, government representatives emphasized that Hungary consistently advocates the need for peace talks and does not agree with further escalation of the war. A common element in these ministerial remarks was that, according to the government, Hungary’s position is not directed against Ukraine, but aims to bring the conflict to an end as soon as possible.

The foreign minister’s statement

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó reacted in a statement to Zelenskyy’s address following the Davos events. According to Szijjártó, Ukraine’s leadership has recently made remarks that also affect Hungary’s domestic political debates. The foreign minister said Hungary finds it unacceptable for another country’s leadership to publicly take a position on Hungarian domestic political issues. Reuters and AP News reports emphasized that Szijjártó spoke about domestic political interference, not interference in the military sense of wartime involvement.