Hungary compares Ukraine with Afghanistan, calls it 'no man's land'; Kyiv reacts sharply

Russia's steadfast ally, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, on Saturday, questioned the statehood of Ukraine labelling it a "no man's land," and comparing it to Afghanistan during a meeting with Budapest's journalists on 26 January. Orban then warned NATO that Russia's President Vladimir Putin "cannot afford to lose" in the ongoing Ukrainian conflict, and that "he will not lose because he’s up for re-election next year, 2024." 

"He [Putin] cannot run as the president who lost a war and the West needs to understand this," the American Conservative whose reporter was present at the meeting quoted the Hungarian leader as saying. 

It [Ukraine] is Afghanistan now,“ he said. ”The land of nobody." (translates to No Man’s Land).

'Should NATO countries send soldiers to fight for Ukraine?': Orban poses daring questions

Orban noted that Russia’s goal is to make Ukraine an "ungovernable wreck" as he pushed the blame of the war on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's regime. He then stressed that the United States, the West "cannot claim [a victory of Ukraine] it as a prize." Budapest is among the few European nations that refused to send the weapons to Ukraine or back the coordinated sanctions against the Russian Federation. The country is also heavily reliant on Russian energy, although the Hungarian government aims to cut its total energy consumption to 26% by 2030 from 35%. 

Orban also noted at the gathering that Russia's victory on the horizon in Ukraine "will confront NATO countries with lots of problems." "The question will be asked, should NATO countries send soldiers to fight for Ukraine?" he asserted, lodging anti-tone about the weapons being supplied by the Western allies. "Americans don't think about it," said Orban, adding that this fact is already in the minds of more and more Europeans "whose countries will be devastated if the [Ukraine] war spreads." Hungary's President also warned NATO that it is inching closer and closer to a direct war with Russia by supplying heavy battle tanks such as M1 Abrams, and German-made Leopard-2. 

"The West may think it is not at war with Russia, but by sending more and more weapons to Ukraine, it is getting closer to a real military intervention," said Hungarian President Viktor Orban. 

Responding to Orban's remarks, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nikolenko said on Facebook that such statements are "categorically unacceptable." He then announced that the Hungarian ambassador will be summoned to the ministry to explain Orban's anti-Ukrainian remarks. "The Hungarian ambassador will be summoned to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry for a frank discussion. We reserve the right to take other measures in response," Nikolenko's post read.