PM Orbán: the EU lost the war in Ukraine
We will recover from the war, we are at arm’s length from peace,” Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in a year-end interview broadcast on public media.
The Russians are advancing and the European Union has lost the war, Orbán said
Orbán said the past three years had been “traumatic” with a war in the neighbourhood “in which hundreds, sometimes thousands die daily, while the country is emptied, bombed, and its resources lost”. He added that the impact of the war was “inescapable”, pointing to soaring prices and ruined energy markets.
“We have lived in this for three years and now that it could be over it is like coming up from under water and you can breathe again after a long time,” he said.
Answering a question on the necessity of two peace missions, Orbán said a Christian country must help those in need, and Hungary was given the means to do so as it held the presidency of the Council of the European Union. Asked whether the peace missions were successful, he said “the whole situation makes one want to weep. It is hard to talk about results here.” At the same time, at the beginning of the Hungarian presidency it was unacceptable to talk about peace in Europe, but Hungary took the risk and after six months “we reached a point where everyone is talking about peace today,” he said. What used to be a taboo topic and a political endeavour can finally be discussed meaningfully today. “We have achieved this much but the war is not yet over,” he added.
With the inauguration of the new US president on January 20, Orbán said, “a new world begins,” but in the meantime, it is worth keeping realistic goals in mind, and he suggested a Christmas ceasefire. “I think I managed to persuade the Russian president to seriously consider this, but the Ukrainians, for some mysterious reason, are not willing,” he said, adding that Christmas was not here yet and hope should not be given up.
Orbán said there was a new reality on the front line: the Russians are advancing and the European Union has lost the war. If the Europeans join the conflict, “declare it their own war”, then an even greater defeat awaits us. “It is in our interest that this should be a small conflict,” he said.
Brussels is in a complete mistake
As a second reality, Orbán said a “well-prepared and committed” player had emerged in the United States “ready to fight for the spirit and future of the West … on the side of Patriots and life.” This, he said, would “completely change” the Western world, adding that “the government is in this reality and has prepared the 2025 budget in line with that reality.” He also added that “Brussels is in the old reality and that’s a complete mistake.”
Concerning the war in Ukraine, Orbán said that in April 2022 “the sides were just hours from an agreement, but it was made impossible by the West’s interference.” “There was an opportunity for a truce and lasting peace … but they messed it up,” he said.
Referring to ties between the US and the European Union, Orbán said he expected “major, serious disputes” and added that “we Hungarians need to participate in a way that we also benefit.” It is important that the disputes are concluded in agreements that are “acceptable for both America and Europe,” he said.
The Hungarian government would “not allow Hungary to be turned into Magdeburg”
Speaking about the relationship between the European Commission and Hungary, Orbán said the two sides saw eye to eye on certain matters but in some areas “the positions are antagonistic”. As an example for the latter, Orbán said the Hungarian government would “not allow Hungary to be turned into Magdeburg” through the EU “forcing their rules on us” under which illegal migrants should be allowed to enter. He added that the two sides were in a similarly antagonistic opposition over “issues around gender”.
Orbán said Hungary was Brussels’ opposition: “we think that if we cannot change Brussels through taking over the majority and reshaping it in a way that is good for nation states, we will all suffer … Brussels needs to be occupied; we need to acquire a majority.” That is the goal of the Patriots group, the prime minister said.
The prime minister said “in the European Union the Patriots must raise the flag and then the others will gather under it”.
The Patriots are successful and the European People’s Party is stuck in the past, Orbán said, calling the issue of war and peace the deepest fault line in EU politics.
He put EU countries into three groups: those who support the war, those who oppose the war, such as Hungary and Slovakia, and those who pursue survival tactics by “saying nothing”.
Orbán said that radical pro-war politicians believed that if they had spent more money on the war, if more weapons had been sent, it would have been won. “This is not our war”, he added in response.
Hungarian economy will be restarted
On the “ambitious” 2025 budget adopted by lawmakers, Orbán said the Hungarian economy had weathered the three years of war and had a chance for a successful restart.
In Hungary, everyone who wants to can still work, the annual pensioners’ bonus has been protected despite the higher budget deficit, wages have grown over the past three years bar one, family protection measures remain in place, including tax allowances for those raising children, and regulated household energy prices mean Hungarians pay the least in Europe for electricity and gas, he added.
Since 2010, Hungarians have shown that “we are capable of doing things we couldn’t do before”, Orbán said. This is why out of 100 people, more than 80 are working, and the country is connected by motorways and expressways, he added.
Today, the Hungarian economy is in such a state that the moment peace comes, it can take off, Orbán said. He also mentioned subsidised credit for young blue-collar workers, the Demjan Sandor Programme, and the doubling of the tax allowance for families raising children.
Hungarian economy was too focused on Western markets
On the policy of economic neutrality, Orbán said it would be an exaggeration to say that it would solve the problems caused by the difficulties of the German economy, but he said he was certain that “it can make a difference”.
The prime minister said the Hungarian economy’s ties were previously too focused on Western markets.
“If we see that there is a problem in Europe, the answer is that we need to develop economic relations in all other directions,” he said, adding that he had high hopes for US relations, but it was also important not to give up on relations with the Russians. The prime minister advised Hungarian companies to participate in the Russian economy in areas not affected by sanctions, and urged businesses to use the good political relations with the Chinese to advance economic relations.
The greater the problem in Europe, the more Hungary should “push forward” in other parts of the world, Orbán said, adding that “the political conditions are in place” for such manoeuvres. For economic neutrality it is important to have a response for the weakening of Western markets and “make up for what we lost in Europe in other directions”. He added, however, that “it will not be simple and won’t happen overnight”.
Peace, calm, good health, contentedness and love
Addressing the resignation of Katalin Novák and Judit Varga earlier in the year, Orbán acknowledged the achievements of their hard work. “Christian politicians can be expected to be perfect, but we must be fair and impose a big punishment for big mistakes and a light punishment for small ones,” he added.
“There will be scars, but we have recovered, and what you survive will make you even stronger,” Orbán said.
Ahead of Christmas and New Year, the prime minister wished everybody “peace, calm, good health, contentedness and love” and suggested that “nobody should despair … there is no problem that cannot be resolved.” He wished for “more understanding, openness, and honesty towards each other” and added that “it is the cornerstone for all, even for economic success.”
Read also:
- Russia’s decision: Hungary and Slovakia on the list of unfriendly countries
- Orbán claims Brussels wants to turn Hungary to Magdeburg in his 2024 State of the Nation speech
During WWII defeatists were shamed and punished. Actually Orban is not a defeatist because he has been supporting Russian victory the whole time so you can come up with another term that applies to him.
“we think that if we cannot change Brussels through taking over the majority and reshaping it in a way that is good for nation states, we will all suffer … Brussels needs to be occupied; we need to acquire a majority.”
Hoping With all my heart the HUXIT! Imagine orban trying to impose his “hungarian methodology” in europe. Asking for Chinese loans, doing pedo pardon and so on, such an example!
All NATO, EU, and US has done is prolonged the war and aided and abetted the destruction of Ukraine.
There’s so much factual distortion and outright lying going on here it’s hard to even know where to start. The whoppers get ever more outrageous with the passage of time. The problem with dumping in your own backyard is that eventually you live in a ****hole.
@londonsteve – it´s indeed the usual – sigh – “where to start?”
@mariavontheresa would be cheering Mr. Chamberlain … All of Europe would have been so much better off if those stupid people had not resisted … It wasn´t “their war”. Roosevelt´s Lend-Lease. Tragic mistake, if you extend our Politicians logic!
Re “refocusing trade” – let´s pull up official data and assess our options realistically available (as opposed to Politician spin):
https://www.ksh.hu/stadat_files/kkr/en/kkr0024.html
Oh. Dear. Not likely to happen anytime soon, is it? Seven out of the Top 10 actually EU Members, other than the UK, USA and Switzerland (with the latter being part of Schengen).
Regarding infrastructure, roads and motorways … The European Union actually funded a lot of this. We are a TAKER. On average, over 3.5 percent of GDP per annum, since we joined the EU in 2010. Consider our “Economic Growth!” figures touted by our Politicians WITHOUT that (massive) boost?
https://brilliantmaps.com/eu-budget/
OK – rant over. Facts and data rock!
Huxit? No, it won’t happen. Of course that’s just my opinion. But it’s also my opinion that if it did happen……
1. The Forint will decline even further than it has.
2. The current Hungarian leadership (if you can call it that) will pay the price. But, I don’t think they care much. Their loyalty is not to Hungary and Hungarians. It’s to their own gluttony and the power lust of their Russian masters.
3. Whoever runs Russia will continue to dictate to Hungary, just as they do now. The difference will be that the Russian army will be here providing “security”, just as they did in 1956.
4. As a vassal state, Hungary will revert to the same economic conditions that existed from the end of WWII to the early 1990s, and remain just as isolated from the west as it was during Communist years.
That’s all pessimism. One can always hope for another path for Hungary. Oh, another opinion? Yes, another path is coming.
All NATO, EU, and US has done is prolonged the war and aided and abetted the destruction of Ukraine.
I agree, but why?
Because the NATO, US & EU politicians are making big money from military contracts. They LOVE that Ukraine is destroyed because they will have the reconstruction contracts.
Meanwhile, the weak-minded accuse Orban and Trump of trying to enrich themselves when they are the only voices calling for peace and an end to these wars.
At one time, these same EU & US leftists wanted Europe to disarm in the face of the Soviet Union. Now they are warmongers, profiting off endless wars all over the world as they allow murderous migrants to live among their citizens and suppress free political speech.
Truly, the leftists have become the fascists.
There are no winners in this whole hot mess. Russia will end up annexing a part of Ukraine, but at what cost… Ukraine is barely a country anymore. Ukraine’s supporters in the West have failed to help Ukraine and showed just how impotent the West is.
The only ones who profited are the military-industrial complex and its shills.
This should, and could, have been resolved less than a year into it, but the West (Boris Johnson in particular) chose to prolong the misery and the agony instead – at whose behest and for who interests, we may never know.
Orban, is a Polemicist.
History never Lies, that in his Political Life, his “large scale” announcement of himself, on the Global scene of European & Global Politics, to CONFIRM that Orban is a Polemicist, just read the words, or LISTEN via u-tube – to his June 16th of 1989 speech presented to Hungary and Europe, to the Global World.
Orban – in his “Song of Songs” proclaiming “singing” joyously, announcing, the arrival of Freedom & Liberty under DEMOCRACY – the way forward for the FUTURE of Hungary, the POLEMICIST, that is Victor Mihaly. Orban is – UNVEILED.
Orban is not an Enigma – for HE continues on his POLEMICIST character behaviour and image, that GLOBALLY grows of acceptance.
Orban, his “Gofer” role, of the Fidesz Party Government he leads, of his Prime Ministership postion of Hungary, his Russia and China – relationships & partnerships , confirm, he is , a POLEMICIST .
Onwards, his continuation to “denounce” – the Practice of DEMOCRACY, and whilst Orban PONTIFICATES – in the denouncement of DEMOCRACY, in Europe and the Global World,.
Orban, in his own designed and driven implemented agenda, to ensure, bring about the DISTILLATION of Democracy in Hungary, the rapid downward trend of Hungary, a country , that by Orbans – Fidesz Government, in POWER, for 16 years, there “second coming” – that WILL worsens Economically and Financially – SMASHED.
Hungary – reverting back in time, in its history, that closely resembles pre 1989 – a period in time , an in-glorious time, that spanned existed from 1945 to 1989 = 44 years, that saw Hungary – INVADED, taken over and ruled, under a Dictatorship Government, a Communist Government being Russia.
The CONSTELLATION of “gargantuan” problems that factually are, the picture, not just Economically or Financially, but RIGHT throughout the MAIN core componentry, that are in a countrys operation and of its FUTURE.
Orban – for the FUTURE of Democracy and for the Good, the FUTURE of Hungary, the Good of Europe and the Global World – needs to be SILENCED.
@michaelsteiner – I believe, given the actions and utterances of Russia, and European history in general, that the ” military-industrial complex and its shills” will be doing brisk business for at least the next decade or so! Booming business.
However and let´s be very clear: Russia started this war – Ukraine is in the crosshairs, and the rest of Europe is scrambling to prepare itself for the new normal. Sweden and Finland did not join NATO because it seemed a fun thing to do, and countries (especially ones sharing a border with Russia) are redirecting significant GDP to bolster their military.
Our Mr. Orbán may disagree, but I can see NATO Members waking up to a situation where 3.5 – 5% of GDP may need to be allocated to defense spending:
https://www.newsweek.com/trump-wants-nato-increase-defense-spending-target-5-report-2004383
Norbert, contrary to your statement, I would never have supported Chamberlain. However, supporting the enemy nation of Ukraine makes absolutely no sense. What you and many war mongers are advocating is Hungary should accept the mal treatment of the Hungarian minority, the destruction of their churches, the physical violence perpetrated upon the head of ethnic Hungarian youth when they speak Hungarian and then impoverish Hungary by paying for a war that will kill more ethnic Hungarians.
I believe some of you have a strange sense of justice. Yes, I hope Russia will wipe Ukraine out.
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – Five months after their shock offensive into Russia, Ukrainian troops are bloodied and demoralized by the rising risk of defeat in Kursk, a region some want to hold at all costs while others question the value of having gone in at all.
Do you commentators call Ukraine a winner? Invading Russian territory was a bad political decision by Zelensky.
Dividing its small Ukrainian force instead of strategically placing them, keeping them for home defense was a political decision. It is time for Zelensky to learnt to leave the planning and fighting of the war to qualified generals because Zelensky’s decision is deadly for Ukrainian forces.