Hungary says Ukraine should become 'buffer zone' between Europe and Russia

János Bóka, Hungary’s Minister for EU Affairs, argued against Ukraine’s integration into European defense structures, advocating instead for it to act as a "buffer zone" between Russia and the EU in an interview with the Financial Times.

"We don’t see Europe’s security in integrating Ukraine into defense systems, but we do see the need for a buffer zone between Russia and European defense structures, which serves the interests of both Russia and Europe," he said.

Bóka tied this shift to Donald Trump’s return to the White House, emboldening Hungary to push for an end to EU military and financial support for Kyiv.

Bóka emphasized that Ukraine’s buffer role requires a "consensus among global players"—namely the U.S. and Russia—on permissible actions within its borders.

"Otherwise, it becomes a conflict zone, not a buffer," he warned, adding that unilateral moves by the U.S. or Europe "without Putin’s approval" would fuel further strife.

This stance aligns with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s March 15 demands for an EU without Ukraine and Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó’s March 17 rejection of a €20 billion EU aid package for Kyiv, insisting Hungary won’t be "dragged into" the conflict.

Meanwhile, unnamed EU diplomats told FT that Hungary’s "strategic divergence" from its allies may be irreconcilable, prompting informal talks on neutralizing Budapest’s veto in unanimous EU decisions.

"The ongoing opposition to Ukraine will eventually have consequences for Hungary’s position. These debates have started," one diplomat said.

This follows Hungary’s March 13 threat to block EU sanctions on Russia unless oligarch Mikhail Fridman is delisted, and Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski’s March 17 accusation that Hungary is stalling Ukraine’s EU membership talks.