Le Pen supported Orbán’s decision to block the disbursement of a loan to Ukraine

By blocking the EU’s €90 billion loan to Ukraine, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is defending his country’s national interests.

This was written on X by Marine Le Pen, leader of the parliamentary faction of France’s National Rally party, during her visit to Budapest.

“Can I be angry at a country for defending its interests? Of course not,” the politician noted.

She also recalled that Hungary critically depends on supplies of Russian oil, which it had been receiving through the Druzhba pipeline — until Ukraine, as she put it, took advantage of the situation to block the transit under the pretext of repairs.

Orbán, for his part, had expressed support for Le Pen during her criminal prosecution in France and published posts in her defense after the verdict was delivered. He also called the leader of the far-right party a future president.

Commenting on his refusal to support the statement adopted after the EU leaders’ summit, the Hungarian prime minister explained that he would change his position only after supplies through Druzhba are resumed. He also accused the European Union of acting at the behest of Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stressed that Budapest views Kyiv’s actions as political blackmail aimed at interfering in the country’s April parliamentary elections.