Orbán lashes out at Tusk after sarcastic post sparks feud

Orbán claimed that Tusk, through his "attacks" on Hungary, is allegedly trying to distract from the failure of his "war policy" and suggested that the Polish Prime Minister is "in big trouble at home."

"His party lost the presidential election, his government is unstable, and he is trailing in the polls... He has become one of the loudest warmongers in Europe — yet his war policy is failing... He cannot change course because he has turned Poland into a vassal of Brussels," Orbán wrote.

Orbán's outburst was triggered by a sarcastic post from Tusk under a photo of the Hungarian Prime Minister meeting with former Polish Minister of Justice Zbigniew Ziobro, who is under investigation for using spyware.

The former minister claimed that his visit to Budapest was allegedly related to a film presentation and that the meeting with Orbán was unplanned. Tusk left an ironic comment under Orbán's post: "Either Budapest or prison." This comment reportedly caused Orban's panicked reaction.

"This is so sad... Hungary is following a different path — a path of peace. The Hungarian people refuse to become vassals of Brussels. It is time for Mr. Tusk to accept this — and to mind his own business," Orbán wrote.

Earlier, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán during an EU leaders' summit in Copenhagen. At the same summit, Orbán had already exchanged barbs with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Poland and Hungary are in conflict over Orbán's pro-Russian stance. The Hungarian Prime Minister praises Russia, makes anti-Ukrainian statements, blocks pro-Ukrainian initiatives, and stalls Ukraine’s EU accession talks.