‘War is peace.’ Starting an article with a reference to George Orwell’s world-renowned novel 1984 is undoubtedly one of the biggest clichés a journalist could commit. Yet, upon seeing European leaders’ reaction to the announcement made late on Tuesday evening—regarding what appears to be a significant step towards a potential peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia—those were the very first words that came to my mind. A close second was another Orwellian concept, the definition of doublethink: ‘the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them.’
On 11 March, following a long day of talks between American and Ukrainian delegations in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, a joint statement was issued via the US State Department, declaring that Ukraine was ready to accept an immediate 30-day ceasefire with Russia. As part of the agreement, the US government will also resume sharing intelligence with Ukraine—a practice it had halted on 5 March in the aftermath of the infamous spat between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. When Zelenskyy was unceremoniously shown the door at the White House on 28 February without signing the minerals deal between Kyiv and Washington, few would have imagined that less than two weeks later, peace would be spoken of as an achievable outcome. I certainly did not.
But Trump got it done. On the 50th day of his second presidency, the dealmaker-in-chief took a monumental step towards securing peace in Ukraine, bringing Kyiv to the negotiating table and securing its agreement to an immediate ceasefire, as proposed by Washington. Now, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, the ball is in Russia’s court, and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s response will be crucial for the future of talks—determining whether they move forward or collapse entirely.
Brussels’ Doublethink
Whatever the outcome in the coming days, we should feel both optimistic and relieved by yesterday’s announcement. And as a Hungarian and a European, I do. Do not misunderstand me—it is profoundly welcome to see that a war that has raged for over three years—indeed, for more than a decade—may finally be brought to an end. The senseless slaughter of countless soldiers, civilians, and children, as well as the worsening economic and security situation in Europe, could soon be halted, restoring stability to the region.
However, there is something that casts a shadow over what should be unclouded joy: the hypocrisy and deceitfulness of European leaders in their response to the news. Having pushed a pro-war agenda since the outset of the conflict—a stance that became even more aggressive once Trump initiated peace negotiations in February—, EU leaders, from European Council President António Costa to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, suddenly began behaving as though they had always been staunch advocates for negotiations and peace between Ukraine and Russia. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola went even further. After a moment of doublethink, she practically claimed credit for the breakthrough. See for yourselves:
Yes, Metsola genuinely included the highly frustrating phrase ‘we have all worked for.’ It immediately made me wonder what, exactly, EU leaders have done in the past month to advance peace. I could not recall anything. What I could recall, however, is that since Trump announced the start of peace talks in February, these very leaders have scrambled from one emergency summit to another, desperately seeking ways to undermine the US-led negotiations. They even came perilously close to persuading Zelenskyy to turn his back on Washington and lead his country to complete destruction. In their defence, it is difficult to contribute to peace talks when one has not even been invited to the negotiating table in the first place.
Naturally, one of the most vocal Russia hawks among EU leaders, foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, also professed support for peace—at least, judging by her reaction on X. Yet, before her latest moment of doublethink, the former Estonian prime minister had quite a different view on peace talks. On 20 February, she dismissed US–Russia talks as appeasement, arguing that too much focus was being placed on mediation rather than on applying political and economic pressure on Moscow.
Since the day Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Brussels has maintained a clear stance on the war. The EU effectively dragged itself into the conflict by defining it as its own and setting its goal as nothing less than Russia’s defeat—to bring Moscow to its knees. Brussels also severed all channels of communication with Russia, insisting that the ‘war criminal’ Putin should not be negotiated with. Meanwhile, the pro-war majority did everything in its power to silence and isolate dissenting voices—or rather, voice in the singular. Since day one the only European leader to stand firmly for peace has been Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
That’s What You Get for Pushing Peace
This is precisely why it is so frustrating to watch EU leaders now trying to portray themselves as long-time advocates of peace negotiations—because we, Hungarians, know exactly what it means to genuinely work towards peace. And we also know what it feels like to be treated as an outcast, a pariah, for doing so. Hungary and Prime Minister Orbán have endured relentless threats of having their voting rights revoked in EU decision-making, the withholding of EU funds, even discussions about expelling the country from the bloc. They have faced demonization, constant accusations of serving Russian interests, and vile, coordinated attacks on the international stage. The list of what Hungary has had to endure from its so-called Western allies over the past three years is endless.
Orbán undertook two peace missions last year—missions from which these same EU leaders, who now claim they worked for peace, deliberately distanced themselves. Some even considered boycotting ministerial meetings under Hungary’s EU Presidency in the second half of 2024 because of it.
By asserting that they have worked for peace, EU leaders not only expose their hypocrisy and incompetence but also insult every Hungarian who has genuinely pushed for peace over the past three years. But we do not hold grudges. We are used to Brussels’ doublethink and deceit. Just as we have done throughout the past three years, Hungary will continue to stand firmly on the side of peace—with or without its EU partners.
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