Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban declared that “Russia has won the war in Ukraine,” arguing that Ukrainian forces have already been defeated and that the only outstanding issue is when Western supporters will acknowledge the outcome. The remarks were made in an interview published Tuesday on the conservative Patriot YouTube channel, just days before a scheduled summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Orban’s assessment sharply diverges from the prevailing European Union position backing Kyiv. Hungary, which relies heavily on Russian energy, has refused to send weapons to Ukraine and was the lone EU member state that declined to endorse a recent joint statement supporting Ukraine’s right to determine its own future. Orban contended that Europe risks being sidelined unless it enters direct negotiations with Moscow, warning that “if you are not at the negotiating table, you are on the menu.” The nationalist leader has long maintained close ties with the Kremlin despite Russia’s 2022 invasion of its neighbor. He reiterated his opposition to Ukraine’s potential EU membership, saying it would damage Hungarian farmers and Europe’s broader economy. Orban added that the West missed an opportunity to negotiate during former President Joe Biden’s term and now faces talks led by Washington and Moscow without formal European participation.