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Estonian Official States Orban’s Defeat in Hungary Could Diminish Russia’s Influence in Europe
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![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
Urmas Reinsalu, the leader of the Estonian opposition party Isamaa (“Fatherland”) and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, has stated that a defeat for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's party in the upcoming parliamentary elections would diminish Russia's strategic influence in Europe.
The comments were made during the interwiew with ERR on April 2.
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In an interview with ERR, Reinsalu expressed his belief that Hungary’s April 12 elections, which are seeing opposition party “Tisa” gain ground in polling, could result in the removal of Orban's ruling Fidesz party. Reinsalu voiced hope for a victory by “Tisa,” led by Péter Madár.
“The Madár party is also part of the European People's Party. I recently spoke with their representatives. This is a very dramatic confrontation. And we must certainly define this confrontation in Estonia; all Estonian patriots must come to the conclusion that Orban's defeat also means a reduction in Russia's strategic influence in Europe,” said the Estonian politician.
Meanwhile, tensions between Hungary and the European Union have intensified following the detention of Ukrainian cash couriers by Hungarian authorities. The couriers were transporting funds from Austria's Raiffeisen Bank to Ukraine as part of a routine operation.
The incident has sparked a strong response from banking lobbyists in Brussels, who are now calling for restrictions on the Hungarian government’s ability to engage with key EU financial institutions.
According to reports, Hungarian authorities intercepted two armored vehicles carrying approximately $80 million in various assets, including $40 million, €35 million, and 9 kilograms of gold, which were being transported from Vienna to Ukraine.
This seizure has raised concerns within European financial circles. Banking representatives in Brussels are now advocating for measures to limit Hungary's cooperation with key EU financial bodies. The discussions have also extended to limiting the purchase of Hungarian government bonds, signaling increasing concerns about political risks and potential clashes with EU institutions.
In addition to this, Viktor Orban has publicly expressed his opposition to Ukraine’s accession to the European Union through a nationwide consultation initiated by his government.
In a post on his official Facebook page on April 22, Orban shared a photo of his completed ballot, where he marked his stance against supporting Ukraine's EU membership.
“Brussels and the Tisza Party support Ukraine’s EU accession. This would destroy the Hungarian economy. We won’t let them decide our future over our heads. I’ve already voted,” Orban wrote in the post.
