His government has often blocked or diluted EU measures aimed at punishing Moscow and remains a vocal critic of sanctions. AdvertisementKarácsony has been the liberal mayor of Hungary’s capital city since 2019 and was narrowly reelected in 2024; now, he is running for prime minister against Orbán in the 2026 parliamentary election. “It is absolutely clear that the Hungarian government should have a clear policy against Russia, against Russian aggression, and in support of Ukraine. In June, tens of thousands of people resisted the ‘intolerance’ of Orbán’s Hungary. Peter Magyar’s center-right Tisza party has consistently led Viktor Orbán’s nationalist right-wing party, Fidesz, in voter surveys since October.