Tens of thousands of people flooded the streets of Budapest on Thursday for the annual Peace March, voicing strong opposition to the European Union’s military policies and growing involvement in the Ukraine conflict.
Chanting slogans such as “Go, Hungarians!” and “Go, Fidesz!”, the demonstrators expressed support for Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s ruling party, which recent polls show is slightly ahead of its rivals ahead of the 2026 parliamentary elections.
Orban said this 14th edition of the Peace March drew a record turnout, sharing on social media a photo of protesters holding a banner reading, “We do not want to die for Ukraine.” The Hungarian leader has long criticized Brussels’ military strategy and sanctions against Russia, insisting that Hungary seeks peace, not escalation.
