Prime Minister Viktor Orbán warned that the war in Ukraine would be "longer and more brutal" than anticipated at the start of the year, and "we must be ready for intensified covert operations, smear campaigns and war propaganda against Hungary".

In a post on Facebook, PM Orbán announced that he has convened a meeting of the Defense Council for this afternoon, saying "we must face the fact that transatlantic unity has sharply deteriorated", and referring to the recent intensification of armed action.

The prime minister said there was a wide gulf between "peace-oriented forces" led by US President Donald Trump and leaders in Brussels and Kyiv, who want to prolong the war". Hungary, he added, must stay on the side of peace, "even if this means disputes with Brussels will become louder".

"We must prepare Hungary for attacks with double the force because Hungary is an ally of President Trump," he wrote, warning of "intensified covert operations, smear campaigns, and war propaganda against Hungary".

The prime minister concluded: "We are ready to and will defend Hungary and Hungarian families!"