2025 marked a turning point in international politics: the liberal world order has come to an end — the election of Donald Trump delivered the final blow. It is clear that from 2026 onward, we have entered a new era — one that can rightly be described as the Age of Nations. Hungary is not merely enduring this change; it is shaping it. Since 2010, Hungary has been among the forerunners of this new era and intends to remain an active force in shaping it.

At his year-opening international press conference, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán made it clear which four key issues will define Hungarian politics through 2026.

1. War or peace?

According to the Prime Minister, the most important question facing Europe in 2026 is the choice between war and peace. He defined the Hungarian government’s task as keeping Hungary away from the dangers of war. Referring to the EU summit last December, he stressed that decisions were taken in Brussels to move toward war. The most vocal advocate of this course is Manfred Weber, President of the European People’s Party. It is no exaggeration to say that the 2026 Hungarian election may be the last election before war. The government elected in 2026 will decide the question of war or peace for Hungary, he stated.

Viktor Orbán also noted that 2026 will be marked by the rise of social movements across Western Europe opposing the pro-war elite. Beyond Hungary, only a few countries currently propose a fundamentally different strategy for the EU — one that rejects the logic of a war economy, war loans, and permanent militarisation. Instead, they advocate peace, stability, peace agreements, and a peace economy, he said. “Recently, there were three of us — and there will be more,” he added.

He also pointed out that, according to Ukrainian government statements, excluding military and security spending, Ukraine is requesting €800 billion over the next ten years, at a time when the European economy is already in decline. Whoever pays this bill will ruin their own people, the Prime Minister warned, adding: “People do not usually allow themselves to be ruined.”

2. The second key issue is energy.

Viktor Orbán stressed that national sovereignty is increasingly dependent on energy supply, which has also become one of the most critical issues of technological development. Those countries that are able to provide affordable energy for emerging industries, such as artificial intelligence, will be the winners of the new era, he said. Hungary’s task, he added, is to ensure strong supply chains, stable infrastructure, and robust national energy companies. He stated that Hungary’s energy supply and energy security are guaranteed, that energy independence is secured, and that the country is capable of producing the energy required to build new capacities. Achieving this, he noted, required a change in Hungary’s previous energy policy and the expansion of Hungarian companies’ presence across multiple regions of the world.

At the same time, he emphasized that certain EU regulations affecting the gas and oil sectors are damaging to Hungary. Hungary is defending itself against these measures through legal means, both because they constitute an abuse of legal authority and because the EU treaties assign energy policy to national competence. In parallel, Hungary is also working politically and indirectly against Brussels’ energy regulations, by seeking to help bring the war to an end by 2027. This would allow energy sanctions against Russia to be lifted. He pointed out that current Brussels price regulations increase energy prices in Europe by 20 percent, while the next round of regulations would lead to even greater price increases.

3. The third major issue is migration.

The implementation of the Brussels migration pact is unacceptable for Hungary. Under the pact adopted by Brussels, Hungary would be required from June onward to process 23,000 applications within a single year. This would only be possible if a migrant camp with a capacity of 10,000 people were established. The Hungarian government’s position remains unchanged: Hungary will not accept a single migrant, will not build refugee camps, will not alter its border protection regime, will not become a country of immigration, and will not accept Brussels dictating with whom Hungarians must live.

Viktor Orbán thanked God that Hungary kept its borders secure and refused migrants during the 2015 crisis. Today, he said, it is entirely clear that “we backed the winning side.” As he put it, many Western European countries would give half an arm to become migration-free.

The PM called it unprecedented that Hungary has been ordered to pay one million euros per day for refusing to admit migrants. He added, however, that Hungary is better off not admitting migrants, and not assuming the financial, social, and societal burdens that come with them.

In conclusion, he said he expects that over the next 10–15 years there will be significant demand for people from Western Europe — “not migrants, but native Europeans, making use of freedom of movement” — to work and live in Hungary. This, he said, will contribute to helping Hungary address its own demographic challenges, adding: “We will not have migrants, but Germans, French, and Italians.” His point was that fellow Europeans can far more easily integrate into Hungarian life than people from outside of Europe.

4. The fourth issue is Hungary’s path to development.

Hungary’s goal remains achieving economic growth and rising living standards, even as much of Europe is forced into austerity. To do this, Hungary must carefully shepherd its own financial resources. Therefore, Hungary will not participate in financing Ukraine, whether through war loans or financial aid. “We will mobilise the economic resources available to us in the interest of Hungarians,” Orbán emphasised.

He continued by stating that Hungary will not accept Brussels’ decisions aimed at shifting Member States’ economies toward a general European war economy. Transitioning to a war economy, he said, serves neither the cause of peace nor the economic interests of Member States.

Hungary will stay out of the war economy and instead build a “peace economy” that enables development. This, he said, is the Hungarian path — in contrast to Brussels’ war-driven approach.

Viktor Orbán concluded by noting that because Hungary is building a peace economy, measures have entered into force as of 1 January that would be unimaginable in much of Western Europe:

· Family tax allowances are being doubled: the more children a Hungarian family has, the greater the tax benefit for parents;

· Full personal income tax exemption from January for mothers under 30 with one child and mothers under 40 with two children; three-or-more-child mothers already exempt

· The minimum wage has been increased by 11 percent,

· A corporate tax reduction of approximately €230 million is being implemented to enhance competitiveness, encourage investment, and support economic growth;

· A 14th-month pension has been introduced, effectively adding two extra monthly payments to annual pensions for retired workers;

· Fixed-interest housing support loans are being continued to support first-time homebuyers,

· Uniformed service members receive a six-month salary bonus in recognition of their service and efforts to safeguard peace.

Hungary will continue to pursue a policy of peace, sovereignty, and development in this new era as well.

What to Expect in Hungary’s 2026 Parliamentary Elections

Responding to journalists’ questions, the Prime Minister also assessed the situation surrounding Hungary’s upcoming parliamentary elections.

· He stressed that in the 2026 parliamentary elections Hungary will have to choose between the Brussels path and the Hungarian path. The options facing the country are clear: either it follows the Brussels path, which leads to war and economic austerity, or it follows the Hungarian path, which offers peace and opportunities for development — enabling a stronger country, a stronger economy, and a better life for Hungarians.

· The Prime Minister said that, in his view, the EU leadership elite has strong interest in a change of government in Hungary. Brussels does not even hide this, he added, noting that he was told “quite bluntly” to “step aside, because new people are now needed — people who will pursue a Brussels-aligned policy instead of a sovereigntist one.” He stressed that this election is of particular importance to Brussels because Hungary demonstrates in practice that there is a clear and workable alternative to the pro-war strategy promoted by the Brussels elite.

· Viktor Orbán said he sees a situation similar to that of 2022, when parliamentary elections were last held. Everything is exactly the same as it was then — an opposition alliance, even if it has now been recalibrated, with the same people, advisers, experts, and economists. “We have to fight the same battle,” he said, “only the stakes are higher, because now there is a war.” He added that the only significant difference between 2022 and the current situation is that the war has since become a defining part of political reality, raising the stakes, and that Brussels-alignment has been expanded with openly pro-Ukraine and pro-war positions.

On the U.S.

The liberal world order has come to an end — the election of Donald Trump delivered the final blow, said Viktor Orbán.

In a previous interview, the PM had stated that in contrast to the Biden years, Hungarian–American relations are experiencing a golden age, with excellent cooperation between the two countries, including at the highest levels of political engagement. There is full alignment between the two governments on the issues of peace and war, the protection of family values, and migration. “This is a comradely relationship, where the American president represents the interests of the American people, and I represent the interests of the Hungarian people,” he said.

He also recalled that since Donald Trump took office, 13 major U.S. investments have come to Hungary — a “remarkable achievement” at a time when Americans are increasingly bringing companies back home. Further significant investments are expected this year as well. All of this shows that there is life beyond Brussels, he added.

On Venezuela

The Venezuelan military operation will have consequences beyond the country itself, Orbán said. Treating it as an isolated event with no impact on global politics would be naïve. Similar developments may emerge elsewhere.

Viktor Orbán said Hungary assumes that the United States may be able to reintegrate Venezuela’s oil resources into global trade. This could increase supply and lower energy prices, in line with U.S. industrial policy interests, and could also be beneficial for Hungary. He added that Donald Trump may be right in arguing that future global power positions will be shaped by control over natural resources. At the same time, he considers it premature to draw moral conclusions or give a final interpretation of the new world order. The postwar liberal world order has ended, but the new era — the Age of Nations — is still taking shape.

The PM stressed that Hungary is not making predictions, but seeking to understand these processes and their impact on our home country. He expressed hope that the United States will succeed in mobilising Venezuela’s resources, establish democratic conditions, and bring an end to narco-state governance. He also recalled that Hungary has taken in several hundred Hungarian-origin families who fled Venezuela and welcomed the changes now underway there, adding that Venezuela has a strong future ahead.

Explaining why Hungary chose not to be part of a joint EU position on Venezuela, Viktor Orbán recalled that under the EU treaties, foreign policy remains a matter of national competence. Coordination is useful, he said, but a common foreign policy is neither necessary nor possible, as there is no agreement — not on Venezuela, nor on Ukraine, nor on the Middle East. Trade policy, he noted, is the only area on which Brussels speaks with authority, under EU rules.

On China

Hungary sees China not as a threat, but as an opportunity, according to the Prime Minister. Hungary consistently pursues cooperation with China — this is not a new direction, but a long-standing practice of Hungarian foreign policy that the government continues. As Viktor Orbán said, within China’s foreign policy classification, Hungary belongs to the so-called “all-weather” category – meaning that the partnership is maintained under all circumstances. This is an exceptional achievement that clearly serves Hungary’s interests.

Viktor Orbán also noted that this cooperative approach toward China is not the majority position within the European Union. Some seek to restrict relations on ideological grounds and label China a “systemic rival.” He considers this approach misguided. In his view, the modern world is not defined by a clash of systems: culture matters more than politics. China is China, Europe is Europe, and America is America — each has a system of governance rooted in its own cultural foundations.

The PM stressed that Hungary does not seek to judge or copy the way others live, but to follow a path that suits the Hungarian people.

Hungary’s Place in a Changing Global Order

Viktor Orbán also said that, in line with the philosophy of connectivity, Hungary should maintain the best, closest, and most constructive relations possible with all major economic blocs of the world.

This applies to the United States, China, Russia, the Arab world, and the Turkic world alike, he stated. He added that, as a member of the European Union, meaningful politics in Brussels is only possible if countries remain sovereign; therefore, Hungary does not wish to take part in any form of federal arrangement, insisting on the rights granted to it under the EU’s founding treaties.

Orbán Viktor emphasized that Hungary envisions its future within the European Union, under the protective umbrella of NATO, while pursuing a sovereign foreign policy and a sovereign economic policy — and that this is both feasible and necessary.

What emerges from Viktor Orbán’s year-opening international press conference is a clear strategic position: in an era of war, instability, and global realignment, Hungary is choosing peace, sovereignty, and development. The Hungarian path is built on connectivity — maintaining open channels with all major powers while preserving national independence. This is how Hungary intends to secure stability and opportunity in 2026.