Hungary would shoot down Russian drones violating its airspace, Orban says
Hungary is "not afraid" to shoot down Russian drones if they accidentally or intentionally breach Hungarian airspace, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in an interview with local media published on Sept. 29.
Orban made the comments even as he downplayed concerns over Russian drones violating the airspace of several European countries and criticized the "posture of Western Europeans."
"We (Europe) are stronger in every dimension. I've never understood why, if we are the stronger ones, we speak as if we were weak," Orban said in a pro-government political talk show.
"Russia is weak compared to us, militarily weak, economically weak, and numerically weak."
Recent weeks saw tensions rise between NATO and Moscow as Poland downed several Russian drones over its territory on Sept. 10.
Russian drones and missiles have crossed the borders of European NATO members repeatedly since the outbreak of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but this incident marked the first case of allied forces shooting down the projectiles.
Several days after the incursion in Poland, another Russian drone flew into Romania, and three Russian fighter jets were detected over Estonia. Suspicious drone sightings in Denmark and Norway last week led to the temporary closure of airports.
In response to Russian provocations, both the EU and NATO unveiled new initiatives for securing Europe's eastern flank, while some Western leaders — including U.S. President Donald Trump — urged the downing of Russian aircraft in case of violations.
Hungary is broadly seen as one of the most Moscow-friendly countries in the EU and NATO, and has repeatedly blocked military aid to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia.
Last week, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that for the first time, reconnaissance drones likely belonging to Hungary had violated Ukraine's airspace along the border.
While Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto dismissed the accusations, Orban said in the interview that even if the drones crossed into Ukraine, it would not matter since "Ukraine is not an independent country," referring to its reliance on Western support.
