Tensions between Ukraine and Hungary boiled over at the Munich Security Conference as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accepted the Ewald von Kleist Award and seized the moment to lambast Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Amid applause for his peace advocacy, Zelenskyy balanced thanks with a stinging rebuke.
He first acknowledged the massive aid from European partners, spotlighting Germany and the UK for their frontline role in sustaining Kyiv’s resistance. Transitioning seamlessly, Zelenskyy quipped about Orban: ‘Thanks to Viktor too – he pushes us to be better, so we avoid becoming like him, forgetting what shame means.’ The line drew knowing reactions from the crowd.
Since February 2022, EU countries have disbursed €134 billion ($159 billion) to Ukraine, a figure that underscores the scale of solidarity. Polish PM Donald Tusk, handing over the award, declared Ukraine worthy of the highest honors, including Nobel consideration.
Echoing a prior belly-related barb where Zelenskyy suggested Orban focus on his physique instead of army expansion, this latest attack prompted Orban’s swift X rebuttal. He labeled it evidence of Ukraine’s EU incompatibility, aiding Hungarian public clarity.
Orban’s blockade of EU arms and funds for Ukraine persists, rooted in his skepticism of NATO expansion. In January, he called Zelenskyy a man in tough spots but committed Hungary to energy supplies and refugee aid regardless.
The exchange at Munich reveals fault lines in Europe’s war strategy. Zelenskyy’s boldness amplifies calls for tougher measures against holdouts like Hungary, while Orban’s defiance signals potential cracks in the aid fortress propping up Ukraine’s defenses.