The likelihood of the war in Ukraine turning into a global conflict is growing, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Friday morning.
Speaking on state-owned Kossuth Rádió, Hungary’s leader criticized Western capitals and accused Ukraine’s allies of promoting a conflict due to economic interests.
“The world has never been so close,” Orbán said, to “a local war” turning into “a world war.”
“The likelihood of this is increasing day by day,” he added.
The Hungarian prime minister also said — without providing proof — that Kyiv’s partners could send troops to help Ukraine, which is battling against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion.
“We are very close, in my opinion, for it to be put on the table as serious proposal for allied — the soldiers of countries allied with Ukraine — to also cross the border,” he said.
Orbán, who has nurtured a close relationship with the Kremlin over the past decade, has come under fire both at home and abroad over the past year for promoting a Russian-style narrative on the war.
The Hungarian government, meanwhile, has argued that it is advocating for an immediate cease-fire merely because it prioritizes peace on the European continent.
In his radio interview, the Hungarian leader insisted that his position is shared by others across the globe, pointing to China, the Arab world and Africa.
“There is the West,” he said, “and the others.”
