Orbán criticizes his top aide for advising not to resist Moscow's invasion

Orban's political director, Balazs Orbán (not related to the prime minister), said this week that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acted irresponsibly by deciding to resist Russia's invasion in February 2022, which triggered a war leading to numerous casualties.

"Considering 1956, we would have probably not done what President Zelenskyy did 2.5 years ago, as it is irresponsible, as we can see that he led his country into a defensive war, many lives were lost, and territories lost," the aide said.

The anti-Soviet uprising in Hungary in 1956 was brutally suppressed by the Red Army. The anniversary of the uprising, October 23, is a major national holiday in Hungary.

Speaking on national radio, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said it is important to speak "very carefully and clearly" about such delicate issues.

"Now my political director made an ambiguous statement which is a mistake, as our community stands on the basis of the 1956 revolution, has grown from it," said Orbán, who has made national sovereignty a cornerstone of his rule.

He added that Hungary "will always defend itself."

Balazs Orbán’s defense

In a video posted on his Facebook page, the aide stated that his words were "deliberately misinterpreted," adding that "the heroes of 1956 are national heroes and their memory is sacred".

However, his comments sparked a huge backlash from the opposition and the media: Hungary's leading opposition figure Peter Magyar wrote in his Facebook post that the aide "has no place in public life after his scandalous and traitorous comments."

It is worth noting that Orbán maintained strong ties with Putin even after Moscow invaded Ukraine. Under Orbán, Hungary has also refused to supply weapons to Ukraine and blocked EU aid to Kyiv.