Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban publicly attacked Polish leader Donald Tusk on X, while Poland’s Vice Foreign Minister Władysław Teofil Bartoszewski slammed Orban for buying Russian oil, fueling the Ukraine war.
Orban to Tusk: You Play a Dangerous Game
On Tuesday 30 September, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban posted on X, accusing Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk of misrepresenting the state of war with Russia. Orban said that neither Hungary nor the European Union were in a state of war, and warned that Tusk’s comments endanger the safety of millions of Europeans.
The remarks followed statements by Tusk that “the war in Ukraine is also our war,” adding that a possible defeat would have consequences for future generations in Poland, Europe and beyond.
Poland’s Vice Foreign Minister Responds: “You Are Financing This War”
During a Q&A on Radio ZET, Vice Foreign Minister Władysław Teofil Bartoszewski confronted Orban and said that by buying Russian oil, the Hungarian prime minister was effectively financing the war. He warned that Russia would be unable to continue the conflict without funds.
Bartoszewski reiterated that the war in Ukraine is “our war” because Ukrainians defend what he considers European territory, and called for the war to end with a Russian defeat.
EU Struggles to Break Stalemate Over Hungary’s Ukraine Veto
Member states cannot formally start membership negotiations with Ukraine because a unanimous decision is required, and Hungary blocks any progress. EU Council President Antonio Costa has suggested that the decision be taken by majority vote instead, a proposal that faces opposition from countries that would still insist on unanimity.
During the informal Copenhagen summit, the possibility of a majority‑qualified decision is being debated, but sovereign states such as Hungary are unlikely to change course. The veto also risks delaying Moldova’s application for EU membership, which it had filed together with Ukraine shortly after Russia’s invasion.
