Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban has declared that the country is ready to shoot down Russian drones if they enter Hungarian airspace, whether by accident or on purpose. His remarks were published on September 29 in a local media interview.

At the same time, Orban sought to minimize the risks posed by Russian drones crossing into European countries, instead criticizing what he described as the exaggerated caution of Western European leaders. “Europe is stronger in every aspect,” he argued on a pro-government talk show, adding that he had never understood why European nations presented themselves as weak despite Russia being “militarily, economically, and numerically weaker.”

[Hungarian PM Orban]: I never understood why we speak as if we are weak. Russia cannot harm us. Compared to us, Russia is weak. Militarily weak, economically weak, weak in population. We are the strong ones. We should behave like a strong community. Instead we act as if we’re the… pic.twitter.com/pXdefz2Nng

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) September 30, 2025

The comments come against a backdrop of heightened tensions between NATO and Moscow. Earlier this month, Poland shot down several Russian drones that crossed its territory - the first time allied forces have taken such action since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Soon after, a Russian drone entered Romania, while three Russian fighter jets were tracked over Estonia. In Scandinavia, suspicious drone activity over Denmark and Norway temporarily forced airports to shut down.

In response to repeated violations, both NATO and the EU announced fresh measures aimed at bolstering security along Europe’s eastern borders. Several Western leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, have called for Russian aircraft to be downed if they enter allied airspace.

Hungary, however, has long stood out as one of the EU and NATO’s most Moscow-friendly members, frequently opposing sanctions on Russia and blocking military support for Ukraine. Just days earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that reconnaissance drones, apparently from Hungary, had crossed into Ukrainian territory. Budapest rejected this, with Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto dismissing the allegations. Orban went further, asserting that even if such drones had crossed the border, it would make little difference since, in his view, “Ukraine is not an independent country” due to its reliance on Western aid.