BUDAPEST - Hungary is seeking to form a new political bloc within the European Union, together with the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which would take a sceptical stance towards continued support for Ukraine. This information was confirmed by Balázs Orbán, the political director of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, in an interview with Politico.
In his words, Budapest wants to intensify cooperation with Andrej Babiš, whose ANO movement recently won the parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic, and with Robert Fico, who heads the Slovak government. The aim is to harmonise the three countries' positions ahead of European Council meetings and to hold joint coordination meetings ahead of EU summits in the future.
"I think it will come - and it will become more and more visible," He told Balázs Orbán. He recalled the successful cooperation of the Visegrad Four (Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland) during the 2015 migration crisis, when these countries jointly rejected the mandatory redistribution of migrants. "We were able to resist then," He added.
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, however, the original Visegrad cooperation ceased to exist. Poland, led by then Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, took the lead of the pro-Ukrainian camp, while Hungary began to promote a policy of dialogue with Moscow and rejected European sanctions against Russia. The new "Visegrad" format would therefore reportedly have only three members, with Poland - led by pro-EU Prime Minister Donald Tusk - left out.
The common line of Babiš, Fico and Orbán
Both Andrej Babiš and Robert Fico have publicly expressed scepticism about continued financial and military aid to Kiev on several occasions in recent months. Both politicians have called for a "realistic dialogue" with Moscow and criticised sanctions, which they say are more damaging to European economies than Russia.
However, no formal alliance has yet been formed. Slovak Prime Minister Fico has not yet openly joined the Hungarian proposals after his return to power in 2023, and Babiš, although his ANO movement won the Czech elections, has not yet formed a new government.
However, according to Balázs Orbán, the Hungarian government has the ambition to build a broader political base in Brussels. Fidesz, which belongs to the Patriots for Europe, wants to establish cooperation with other right-wing and sovereigntist groups in the European Parliament, such as European Conservatives and Reformists or with Europe of Sovereign Nations.
Political motivation and elections in Hungary
At the same time, Orbán's Hungary is preparing for parliamentary elections in 2026. After 15 years in power, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán faces growing opposition. The Tisza party, led by former diplomat Péter Magyar, currently leads Fidesz in the polls.
Balázs Orbán admitted that the upcoming election campaign will be "as tough as ever". He accused Brussels of "organised efforts" to overthrow the Hungarian government and claimed that the European Commission was "politically supporting the opposition". The European Commission rejects these claims, saying that the suspension of EU funds for Budapest is based on violations of the rule of law, not on political grounds.
Possible impact on the EU
The possible formation of a Hungarian-Czech-Slovak bloc could fundamentally affect the dynamics of decision-making in the EU. The three Central European countries together have the weight that could block or slow down the approval of new military or financial aid packages for Ukraine within the EU Council.
At the same time, it would confirm the long-term trend of strengthening national-conservative and sovereigntist currents in Europe, which seek to weaken the role of Brussels and place more emphasis on national interests.
For the Czech Republic, this situation represents a potential geopolitical turning point. Should the government led by Andrej Babiš actually join the Hungarian-Slovak axis, it would be a fundamental rethink of the Czech foreign policy, which has been firmly supporting Kiev since 2022.
The new "Visegrad Troika" may thus be not only an attempt by Viktor Orbán to expand his influence in Brussels, but also a signal that Central Europe is once again looking for its own path - this time on the Budapest-Prague-Bratislava axis.
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