Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary, known for his close alliance with the Kremlin within the European Union, made stark statements at a rally in the town of Sombathely on February 7 regarding Ukraine's relationship with Hungary. He condemned Ukraine for its insistence that the European Union stop imports of affordable Russian energy, declaring that any entity making such demands is considered a foe of Hungary. Consequently, he indicated that Ukraine itself has positioned itself as Hungary's enemy.

This inflammatory rhetoric came shortly after the European Council endorsed plans to ban the purchase of Russian gas by 2027. Hungary, along with Slovakia, has been a country aligned with Moscow and remains significantly dependent on Russian gas supplies. Following these EU initiatives, both nations challenged the decision in the European Court of Justice, showcasing their resistance to distancing from Russian energy imports.

Orban also criticized Ukraine's aspirations to join the European Union, maintaining that although Hungary should cooperate with Ukraine as a neighboring country, it should never be granted EU membership. His statements underline Hungary's strategic stance of maintaining close ties with Russia while dismissing Ukraine's sovereignty and aspirations within the European framework, thereby intensifying regional tensions amidst the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.