"Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban delivered a blistering attack on the European Union’s Ukraine policy on Saturday, praising Belgium’s prime minister as a 'hero' for standing firm against plans to use frozen Russian funds to finance Ukraine, a move he said would have dragged Europe directly into a catastrophic war. Speaking at a large anti-war rally in Szeged, Orban portrayed the behind-the-scenes negotiations in Brussels as brutal, claiming the Belgian leader withstood enormous pressure. “But also acknowledge that in this very important action to save European peace, the key role is held by the Belgian Prime Minister,” Orban said. “He fought heroically. Did it ever occur to you to put the two words, Belgian and heroic, together? To mention them in the same sentence? But I saw this with my own eyes.” “This poor Belgian prime minister was prodded with burning irons. His flesh was torn with tongs. For a whole day, but perhaps earlier, for weeks,” he added. “And this man, he stood, endured, and persevered. If he hadn't persevered, we would be in big trouble today. So glory to the Belgian prime minister.” Orban warned that using Russian assets to support Kiev during an active conflict would amount to a declaration of war by Europe itself. “By seizing Russian assets, Europe would have sent a declaration of war to Russia,” he said. “What is this if not a declaration of war? What can such a European Union be considered if not an enemy?” “Taking the assets of one party at war and giving them to the other party at war means that you have entered the war,” Orban continued. “It’s only a matter of time before your soldiers are there too.” While welcoming the decision not to confiscate Russian assets, Orban argued that the EU’s newly approved €90 billion loan to Ukraine still represents a dangerous escalation. “They decided to give a war loan,” he said. “This is 90 billion euros at this moment. They are giving this war loan to Ukraine.” “And if we don’t have the money, we have to borrow,” Orban added. “The loan taken out must be sent to Ukraine. And when it turns out that the Ukrainians cannot pay, then what we gave them has to be paid nicely in London to the bankers on their behalf.” Orban also rejected accusations that Hungary wants Ukraine to collapse, insisting his country is already providing critical support and arguing the ongoing conflict will only weaken Kiev. “Ukraine does not add to Europe’s strength but takes away from it,” he said. “The war does not strengthen Ukraine; it destroys it. Only peace can strengthen Ukraine.” He accused Brussels of choosing sanctions and confrontation instead of diplomacy from the very start of the conflict. “My suggestion was that sanctions should not be introduced, but negotiations should immediately take place with both warring parties,” Orban said. “They decided not to do that. And here we are.” Orban warned that Europe is now closer to war than ever, despite avoiding the asset seizure. “Now, we have averted the direct threat of war, but the threat of war today is greater than it was before the Brussels summit,” he said. “Don’t mistakenly become complacent.” “There is only one thing to trust in, and that is the European people,” Orban added. “We must trust that the people will force peace from the ground up. This is the only thing we can rely on.” It comes after crunch talks between European leaders in Brussels saw them fail to agree on the flagship plan pushed by the European Commission to use frozen Russian assets for a €210 billion 'reparations loan' for Ukraine. The alternative - a smaller €90bn loan over two years backed by the EU budget - needed a unanimous decision, with Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic only agreeing to approve it on the proviso that they did not have to contribute. On the failed Russian frozen assets proposal, Belgium’s PM Bart De Wever said: "When we explained the text again, there were so many questions that I said, 'I told you so, I told you so'. There are a lot of loose ends. And if you start pulling at the loose ends in the strings, the thing collapses." Belgium - where the assets are held - and others warned of the impact on investor confidence, the need for 'risk-sharing' if Russia won a subsequent lawsuit, and questioned the legality."