Zelenskyy criticizes Orbán for using his image for elections

During the conversation, Zelenskyy commented on the results of a sociological survey, according to which Orbán ranks third among the least popular politicians in Ukraine, after Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko.

"Viktor Orbán’s position does not reflect the position of the whole of Hungary. This is the difference between Hungary and Russia: in Russia, Putin’s position is the same as the one held by his society. Viktor’s policy is, unfortunately, anti-Ukrainian. And anti-European," he said.

The President also expressed outrage over the use of his image on billboards in Hungary as part of Orbán's election campaign.

"How can he use my face for his own election? I did not give him permission to do that! I am the president of another country. It is wrong for him to use me for his domestic politics. There are no Orbán billboards in other countries. Because it would not be ethical," the Ukrainian President said.

Zelenskyy recalled that this is not the first time Orbán has used the war in Ukraine for his political purposes and has not shied away from ambiguous steps — for example, immediately after he visited Kyiv, he went to Moscow.

"He comes to visit, talks about bringing the war to an end – and then he goes to Russia. Did the Russians know about this? Probably yes. It couldn’t have been that he suddenly decided to go to Russia after his meeting here. He knew in advance, he knew what he was doing. Is that an honest relationship? No, it isn’t. He’s going somewhere else to discuss us," Zelenskyy emphasized.

According to the President of Ukraine, Orbán's actions not only contribute to the spread of misinformation but also provoke radicalization within Hungarian society itself. He warned that this could have serious consequences for both bilateral relations and the security of Europe as a whole.

Billboards in Hungary

This year, political billboards appeared in Hungary with the slogan: "They will accept Ukraine into the EU, but we will pay the price! Vote ‘no’!"

The posters feature European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and European People's Party President Manfred Weber.

The campaign is taking place against the backdrop of preparations for parliamentary elections in Hungary, which are scheduled for April 2026.

Orbán's position on Russia's war against Ukraine

The Hungarian prime minister believes that the war in Ukraine must be stopped as soon as possible.

Orbán criticizes arms supplies to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia, saying that they harm the European economy, including Hungary's.

The head of the Hungarian government is also actively convincing his people that Ukraine's accession to the EU will destroy Hungary's economy.

And recently, he directly stated that he would do everything possible to block Ukraine's accession to the European Union, explaining this as a way to protect Hungary's national interests.