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Polish PM Tusk slams Hungary’s Orban for praising Putin amid Ukraine attacks

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Polish PM Tusk slams Hungary’s Orban for praising Putin amid Ukraine attacks
Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk delivers a press statement together with Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal after bilateral meetings at the Chancellery of Prime Minister on March 28, 2024 in Warsaw, Poland. (Omar Marques/Getty Images)

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk criticized Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban for calling Vladimir Putin Hungary's “honest partner” during Russia’s massive missile attacks on Ukraine on Christmas Day, according to a Dec. 26 statement on X.

Russia launched 78 missiles and 106 drones on Dec. 25, striking multiple Ukrainian cities. Kharkiv faced “massive fire” from ballistic missiles, injuring six, according to local authorities.

Tusk highlighted the contrast between Orban’s remarks and the reality of the attacks, saying, “On Christmas Eve, Russia launched a massive missile attack on Ukrainian cities. At the same time, in a Christmas interview, Prime Minister Orban called Putin an honest partner of the Hungarians.”

Orban’s remarks highlight Hungary's ongoing ties with Moscow despite Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Hungary has frequently opposed EU sanctions on Russia and blocked military aid to Ukraine.

On Dec. 16, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry denounced Hungary’s "peacekeeping" rhetoric as manipulative, accusing Orban’s government of advocating for Ukraine’s surrender and obstructing international efforts to support Kyiv.

Ukraine hits ballistic missile propellant plant in Rostov Oblast, Stratcom reports
The Ukrainian Air Force struck a plant in Kamensk-Shakhtynsky, Rostov Oblast, that produces solid propellant for ballistic missiles, Ukraine’s Center for Strategic Communications (Stratcom) reported on Dec. 26.
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Tim Zadorozhnyy

News Editor

Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.

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