BUDAPEST, January 17. /TASS/. Western Europe intends to support Ukraine in the conflict with Russia and is preparing for a war that could turn out to be a new world war, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban warned, adding that his government is against these plans.

"Western Europe is really preparing for war," Orban told activists of the ruling Fidesz - Hungarian Civic Alliance party broadcast by the national television channels. In confirmation of this, he said that recent meetings of the EU leaders "have turned into military councils" where the issue of "how to defeat Russia" is discussed.

Brussels is considering ways to compensate for the huge costs of supporting Ukraine. Since 2022, Western countries have already provided Ukraine with more than 193 billion euros, and now the EU intends to provide it with an interest-free "military loan" of 90 billion euros in 2026-2027 and allocate another $800 billion over 10 years for reconstruction. The European Commission said this money can be recovered through reparations received from Russia and the expropriation of frozen Russian assets.

Orban said the United States had refused further financial support for Ukraine, this is why the EU leaders wanted to put it on the shoulders of European citizens. "The European Union does not have the money for this," and the next generations will have to repay the commercial loans they have taken out now. "When the loan agreement expires, Ukrainians will not be able to repay the loan, and then bankers will take money from the Europeans," Orban warned.

He said that such Brussels’ policy "destroys Europe," and besides, creates the threat of a new world war. Recalling the political situation on the continent on the eve of the World War I and World War II, Orban said that now "the war is very close. It is knocking on the door mainly because the very physical space of war is located in the neighboring country."

Orban said that if his Fidesz party wins the April 12 parliamentary elections, his government will do everything to prevent such a development. He confirmed that he would not support the EU leaders' plans for Ukraine and would not allow Hungary to be dragged into the ongoing armed conflict.

"I think it is possible to build our international relations so that Hungary could stay away from the war," the head of government said.