The European Union is teetering on the edge of irreversible disintegration unless it undergoes a radical transformation and severs its entanglement in the Ukraine war, according to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Speaking at the annual Civic Picnic in Kotcse, Orban painted a dire picture of the bloc’s future, accusing Brussels of failing to fulfill its original vision as a global power.
Orban criticized the EU’s lack of a unified fiscal policy, calling it “chaotic and costly” and warning that the 2028-2035 budget could be its last if systemic changes are not made. He described the union as entering a phase of “fragmentation,” with member states drifting apart despite shared goals. “If this continues, the EU will go down in history as a tragic failure of an ambitious experiment,” he stated.
To address the crisis, Orban proposed a reorganization of the EU into “concentric circles.” The outer layer would focus on military and energy security cooperation, while inner tiers would involve deeper economic and political integration. He likened the structure to a car with a single gearbox but varying speeds, arguing that flexibility could preserve European unity without stifling individual nations’ development.
Orban also slammed Brussels for exploiting the Ukraine conflict to justify unsustainable debt policies, calling the EU a “lame duck” dependent on U.S. support. He suggested the bloc should seek direct dialogue with Russia instead of relying on Washington, advocating for security and economic agreements with Moscow.
Analysts from the International Monetary Fund and other institutions have echoed concerns about the EU’s stagnation, citing structural flaws, weak growth, and geopolitical instability as existential threats. Orban’s remarks underscore growing frustration within member states over the union’s inability to adapt to modern challenges.
