British The Guardian writes on Friday that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán – who accuses Kiev of deliberately blocking the delivery of Russian oil to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline and for which he blocked a new European package of sanctions against Russia and a 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine – hopes to retain power by telling voters that the biggest threat to the country is not the weakening of social services, the rising cost of living or economic stagnation, but Ukraine.
Polls show that, if the elections scheduled for April 12 were held now, Orbán’s Fidesz would convincingly lose the elections to the Tisza party of opposition leader Péter Magyar, and that is why it is further intensifying its campaign based on anti-Ukrainian rhetoric, claiming that Ukraine represents an economic as well as an existential threat to Hungary, claiming that Kiev and the European Union want to drag the country into a war with Russia.
Viktor Orbán, the kleptocrat praised by Marco Rubio just days ago, is now posting AI videos depicting Hungarian children watching their fathers shot by German soldiers, under the campaign slogan ‘This is just a nightmare for now, but Brussels is preparing to make it a reality.’ pic.twitter.com/T6CDe7z24I
— Daractenus (@Daractenus) February 19, 2026
And in his campaign, it seems, the Hungarian Prime Minister does not choose the means.
With the financial support of its right-wing populist government and the use of artistic intelligence, the posters – depicting Volodymyr Zelensky and EU officials with outstretched arms – flooded Hungary.
“Our message to Brussels: We will not pay!” reads the text on the poster, which reflects the messages present in advertisements on radio, television and social networks, as the Guardian writes.
The password on the Fidesz page
“Essentially, Ukraine is portrayed as the main enemy,” said Zsuzsanna Végh, an analyst at the German Marshall Fund. “This is not only about Ukraine, but fits into the standard strategy of the ruling party, mobilizing its voters through generating fear in society.”
For many in Hungary, Fidesz’s malicious focus on Ukraine became apparent after the release of an AI-generated campaign video showing a little girl crying in a window, along with scenes of her father being executed in the war. “This is now just a nightmare, but Brussels is preparing to make it come true… Let’s not take any chances. Fidesz is a safe choice!” reads part of the text accompanying the video.
Péter Magyar condemned the video in a statement, describing it as “disgusting, inexcusable and deeply scandalous”. “This is not politics, this is heartless manipulation,” Magyar concluded, as reported by the Guardian.
And while a large number of right-wing voters express understanding for Fidesz’s messages, opposition supporters express concern about the long-term consequences of Orbán’s election strategy for Hungary, reports Morning paper.
“It completely isolates Hungary from other European countries and we will end up under Russian oppression again,” said 60-year-old Mónika, the Guardian reports.
(Vijesti.ba)
