Kinga Gál, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Hungary, is affiliated with the Fidesz party, which is known for its nationalist and conservative stance. The Fidesz party under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán kept a somewhat ambiguous position towards Russia.
While, on paper, it officially backs the EU’s sanctions against Russia after the Ukraine invasion, it has been one of the strongest critics of the Ukrainian side, pushing for dialogue with Moscow and critiquing some of the Western approaches as too offensive or not seriously considering Hungary’s interests. Gál’s alignment with this party line suggests that she may prioritize Hungary’s national interests over unequivocal support for Ukraine.
Her voting record indicates a pro-Russian stance, as she abstained from voting on the European Parliament resolution regarding Alexei Navalny’s murder and EU action for political prisoners in Russia.
In her voting explanation, she said, “We sympathize with the members of the Navalny family and agree that the circumstances of his death must be investigated. We advocate the preservation of human life and dignity. More than two years now since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, and our stance from day one: we condemn the military aggressiveness of Russia, on the side of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. Yet the more the war endures, the worse it goes and with people wounded or dead as well. We are convinced that this destruction can only be ended by peace and not by new arms shipments or the maintenance of military support. That is why the Fidesz Group in the European Parliament abstained from voting on the resolution.”
Additionally, she did not vote on two important resolutions: one addressing Russia’s undemocratic presidential elections and their extension to occupied territories and another on new allegations of Russian interference in the European Parliament and upcoming EU elections.
Gál has expressed concerns about Ukraine’s treatment of ethnic Hungarians in Transcarpathia, a region where many Hungarians live. She has criticized Ukrainian policies that she perceives as discriminatory against minority groups, particularly in the context of language laws and cultural rights. This has led her to advocate for the rights of ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine, which may be interpreted as a more favorable stance towards Russian influence in the region, given that Russia often positions itself as a protector of ethnic Russians and Russian speakers outside its borders.
MEP has been vocal about her belief that Western media and political narratives often misrepresent Hungary’s position and its historical context in relation to both Russia and Ukraine. She argues that the European Parliament’s majority fails to recognize the complexities of Eastern European geopolitics, which can lead to policies that do not align with Hungary’s interests.
