Orban rebukes Zelenskiy as Hungarian election looms

BUDAPEST, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Hungary's Viktor ⁠Orban criticised Ukrainian ⁠President ‍Volodymyr Zelenskiy, describing him as "a man in a desperate position" whose "war efforts" he would not support, intensifying his anti-Ukrainian campaign ahead of ‍pivotal April elections.

As Hungary's economy stagnates and Orban's Fidesz party trails ​the opposition Tisza party in most polls, the prime minister has framed the parliamentary election due ​on April 12 as a choice between war and peace, portraying Ukraine as undeserving of financial support.

In a Facebook post directly addressed to Zelenskiy, late on Thursday Orban said:

"You are a ​man in a desperate position who, for the fourth year now, has been unable or unwilling to bring a war to an end - despite the ​fact that the President of the United States has provided every possible assistance to do so."

"Therefore, no matter ‌how much you flatter me, we cannot support your war efforts," the nationalist leader added, again rejecting financial aid for Ukraine.

ZELENSKIY ​CRITICISES EUROPE FOR LACKING COURAGE

Zelenskiy on Thursday ⁠criticised Europe for being a "fragmented kaleidoscope of small and middle powers" lacking the courage to act decisively and facing a dark ‌future unless it stood up to U.S. and Russian power.

Orban, who has maintained close ties with Moscow and with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has sought to associate Hungarian opposition leader ‌Peter Magyar with Brussels and Ukraine, and accused Ukraine of wanting a change in government.

"The ‌Ukrainians will be active participants in the Hungarian campaign, because they have a vested interest in a change of government in Hungary," Orban told a briefing early on Friday in Brussels.

Ukraine's ‍government could not immediately be reached for comment.

Orban said his government would launch a "national petition" that Hungarians can sign to "tell ⁠Brussels that Hungarians won't pay to Ukraine."

This primarily targets rural voters and echoes Orban's past anti-migrant campaigns.

Magyar has said Tisza supports peace in Ukraine, rejects the idea of conscription, and will not support any escalation in the war.

(Reporting by Krisztina Than and Anita Komuves; editing by Barbara Lewis)

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