Hungary’s PM Orban calls for ‘Plan B’ in Ukraine conflict
The European Union’s strategy in the ongoing conflict with Russia has “failed,” Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban declared in his latest statement on Oct. 27, as quoted by Reuters.
Orban expressed skepticism about Ukraine’s capacity to secure victory in the conflict and urged the European Union to formulate a “Plan B,” asserting that the financial and military aid provided by allies to Kyiv to combat Russia has “fallen short.”
“Today everybody knows but they do not dare to say it out loud, that this strategy has failed. Its obvious that this will not work (...) The Ukrainians will not win on the frontline,” Orban said.
“Once we know how much that costs, we can share that burden among ourselves.”
Reuters reports that both Hungary and Slovakia oppose allocating EUR 50 billion ($53 billion) to Ukraine. Previously, Orban mentioned his desire to meet with a Ukrainian delegation before the EU approves a new tranche of aid.
Hungary has consistently obstructed EU assistance to Ukraine and the imposition of new sanctions against Russia. In May, Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Péter Szijjártó, explained these actions with three reasons: Firstly, Ukraine’s inclusion of OTP Bank as a sponsor of the war, though this status was suspended by the National Agency for Prevention of Corruption in September. Secondly, Hungary alleges limitations on the rights of ethnic Hungarians to education in their native language in Ukraine. Thirdly, the publication in U.S. newspaper the Washington Postof a claim that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy planned to blow up the Druzhba pipeline.
Simultaneously, Budapest has been strengthening its relations with Russia, despite the ongoing conflict. Orban personally met with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in China on Oct. 17, stating that he was “proud” of the meeting, which has garnered criticism from both the EU and the United States.
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