Orbán says the EU and not Russia is Hungary's real threat ahead of April vote

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Orbán says the EU and not Russia is Hungary's real threat ahead of April vote

2026-02-14 23:58 Last Updated At：02-15 00:00

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The real threat facing Hungary is not Russia but the European Union, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in a speech to supporters on Saturday, as his nationalist party ramps up an anti-EU campaign ahead of national elections.

With only eight weeks until the April 12 vote, Orbán and his Fidesz party are facing their most serious challenge since the right-wing populist leader retook power in 2010.

Most independent polls show Fidesz trailing the center-right Tisza party and its leader, Péter Magyar, even as Orbán has campaigned on the unsubstantiated premise that the EU would send Hungarians to their deaths in neighboring Ukraine if his party loses.

In his speech on Saturday, Orbán compared the EU to the repressive Soviet regime that dominated Hungary for over 40 years last century, and dismissed the belief of many European leaders that Russian President Vladimir Putin poses a threat to the continent’s security.

“We must get used to the idea that those who love freedom should not fear the East, but Brussels,” he said, referring to the EU’s de-facto capital in Belgium.

“Fear-mongering about Putin is primitive and unserious. Brussels, however, is a palpable reality and a source of imminent danger,” he said “This is the bitter truth, and we will not tolerate it.”

Orbán has been a firm opponent of military and financial aid for Kyiv since Russia launched its full-scale invasion nearly four years ago, and has maintained close relations with Moscow while adopting a combative posture toward Hungary's EU and NATO partners, which he portrays as warmongers.

In December, he said it was “unclear who attacked whom” when tens of thousands of Russian forces poured across Ukraine's borders in February 2022.

Hungary's government has long been at odds with the EU, which has frozen billions of euros in funding to Budapest over concerns that Orbán has dismantled democratic institutions, eroded judicial independence and overseen widespread official corruption. In return, Orbán has increasingly acted as a spoiler in EU decision making, routinely threatening to veto key policies like providing financial support for Ukraine.

As the elections approach, he has increasingly portrayed the Tisza party as a puppet created by the EU to overthrow his government and serve foreign interests, claims that Tisza has firmly denied. Magyar, the party's leader, has pledged to repair Hungary's strained relations with its Western allies, revive the stagnant economy and return the country to a more democratic track.

On Saturday, Orbán accused multinational corporations like banks and energy companies of profiting off the war in Ukraine, and conspiring with his political opposition to defeat him in the election.

“It is crystal clear that in Hungary the oil business, the banking world and the Brussels elite are preparing to form a government," he said. “They need someone in Hungary who will never say no to Brussels’ demands."

If his party wins a fifth-straight majority in the election, Orbán promised to push ahead with ridding Hungary of entities that he argues infringe on the country's sovereignty.

He credited U.S. President Donald Trump, who has endorsed him ahead of the election, with creating an environment where “fake nongovernmental organizations and bought-and-paid-for journalists, judges and politicians” can be expelled.

“The new president of the United States has rebelled against the global business, media and political network of liberals, thus improving our chances," he said. "We, too, can go a long way and expel foreign influence from Hungary, along with its agents, that limit our sovereignty.”

“The Brussels repressive machine is still operating in Hungary. We’ll clean it up after April,” he said.

Swedish crash makes way for Norway to win 1st women’s cross-country gold in relay at Milan Cortina

TESERO, Italy (AP) — A broken ski and a slushy course upended the women’s cross‑country relay Saturday, sending Norway to victory as powerhouse Sweden suffered a Valentine’s Day heartbreak at the Milan Cortina Games. Ebba Andersson tumbled and snapped the ski binding in the second leg, giving Norway the advantage on a day where warm weather caused slushy corners that created havoc in the early stages.

Andersson slipped twice before the bad fall that cost the Swedes more than a minute in the race. The 28-year-old pushed forward on one ski before being handed a replacement, and her teammates fought back to finish with the silver.

In the stands, Norway fans celebrated by holding up red Valentine's hearts.

Norway anchor Heidi Weng crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 15 minutes and 44.8 seconds to win the 4 x 7.5 kilometer relay, 50.9 seconds ahead of Sweden. Finland took bronze 1 minute, 14.7 seconds behind the winners.

“This is not the way I had imagined the race,” Weng said. “I told myself not to go all out from the start, to just find a good rhythm and enjoy being out there. Most importantly, it was to stay on my feet on the downhills.”

Jessie Diggins, anchoring the United States, finished fifth 1 minute, 52.2 behind Norway.

Rainfall and tough course conditions forced many athletes to race cautiously at Tesero, northern Italy. A group of chasing athletes tumbled on the first bend.

Weng was wrapped in a Norwegian flag by teammates as she crossed the finish line and the team later consoled Andersson with a hug before the medal ceremony.

Despite the fightback, the Swedes, who had one all three previous races, were crestfallen.

“My body is OK but my heart is not,” Andersson said. “I can’t blame anyone but myself. I didn’t act well enough in that moment. Then we had the worst possible bad luck with the broken ski. It was mostly panic and chaos through that entire leg.”

Sweden had started the race as strong favorites, having won seven out of nine medals in the women's cross country competition.

Their winning caliber was on display in the freestyle half of the relay: Frida Karlsson and anchor Jonna Sundling pushed past six other teams in medal contention, overtaking Finland in the final ascent.

“Before the race, I reminded myself that you never really know what you’re heading out into,” Sundling said. “After what happened during the race, not every team would have been able to handle that.”

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics