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Zelenskyy’s Threat Against Viktor Orbán Is Completely Unacceptable

ESN Group Press Office · 1 min read
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On March 5, 2026, a statement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy directed at Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán sparked sharp criticism. In connection with the EU aid package for Ukraine blocked by Hungary, Zelenskyy said that otherwise they would pass the address of the person concerned to the Ukrainian armed forces so that they could “get in touch with them in their own language.”

Petr Bystron, Member of the European Parliament and member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), stated:

“The threat made by the Ukrainian president against the democratically elected head of government of an EU member state is unacceptable. Anyone who brings soldiers into play in order to exert political pressure on a European head of government crosses the line of what can be tolerated.

In the face of such attacks from outside, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas must stand protectively by the members of the EU and clearly condemn this unacceptable behavior by Zelenskyy.

The EU must not tolerate threats against its democratically elected representatives, certainly not from countries such as Ukraine, which is in many ways a petitioner. The country is urgently dependent on financial aid from EU member states, and it wants to join the EU.

Within Europe, intimidation through military force has no place. Respect for sovereign states is a basic prerequisite for any further form of cooperation.

Zelenskyy must withdraw his threat and apologize to Viktor Orbán, otherwise the accession process must be suspended.”