Europe won’t be able to finance Ukraine’s defense without US support, Orban says

Europe will not be able to finance Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s full-scale invasion without U.S. support, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Nov. 8.
“The Americans are going to get out of this war,” Orban said in comments reported by Bloomberg.
Donald Trump’s Nov. 5 electoral victory has triggered fears that U.S. aid to Ukraine might soon end once he takes office.
“Europe can’t finance this war on its own,” Orban added.
Under Orban’s leadership, Hungary has repeatedly blocked aid to Kyiv, pushed for negotiations with Moscow, and spouted Kremlin talking points. Since taking the presidency of the European Commission in July, Orban has lobbied aggressively to stand as a negotiator between Ukraine and Russia.
Orban also urged the European Union to change its strategy regarding the war in Ukraine and reiterated calls for “a ceasefire and peace talks.”
He added that “recent events” have proven his conclusions after his controversial so-called “diplomatic mission” to Kyiv, Moscow, and Beijing. He also claimed that Ukraine is currently losing the war.
Trump’s comments on Ukraine have emphasized speedy results over long-term support, and he has refrained from saying he wants Ukraine to prevail over Russia.
Anxiety over the possible withdrawal of U.S. aid comes as Ukraine braces itself for another grueling winter of Russian infrastructure attacks.
Meanwhile, North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia to aid Moscow’s full-scale invasion.