Orbán cabinet’s statement on the Russian-Ukrainian conflict – UPDATE
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Monday talked to European Council President Charles Michel, and said Hungary shared the stance of the European Union on the conflict unfolding between Ukraine and Russia.
Talks between the leaders are ongoing.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced late on Monday that Russia acknowledged two separatist regions of Ukraine as the sovereign “Republic of Donetsk” and the “Republic of Luhansk”. He ordered Russian troops to enter the regions on “peacekeeping missions” later on Monday.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó on Tuesday morning said
“we have to hope beyond hope for a diplomatic solution.”
Brussels has ramped up preparations to impose sanctions on Russia in the wake of Monday’s events, Szijjártó said on Facebook. There are ongoing talks on possible steps forward, he said.
“Hungary has never broken ranks with the EU on this issue. At the same time, we must not give up hope of a diplomatic solution,”
Szijjártó said.
As we wrote on Monday, Hungarian government calls on world political actors to stop provocations.
UPDATE
Hungary nationall security cabinet meets
Hungary’s national security cabinet met in the prime minister’s office early Tuesday to review the Ukraine crisis.
The meeting was led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Gergely Gulyás, the PM’s chief of staff, Antal Rogán, who heads the Prime Minister’s cabinet office, Tibor Benkő, the defence minister, and Sándor Pintér, the interior minister participated.
I did not see Us running to help Hungary in 1956. So what is the big deal now???? GAS ???? Supremacy? More “we love America” bases?
Please leave Hungary out of it, nobody ever helped us in any way. Let the “Big Powers” fight it out between themselves. The poor Ukrainian people are the meat in the sandwich –or they can fight for themselves as we did?–
What a dirty world we live in!!!
Hungary should be very concerned. The war next door can quickly spill over into Hungary or the areas of Western Ukraine with significant Hungarian population. Despite recent statements by the government that Hungary is “prepared” everyone knows that this is nonsense. The Hungarian military (30,000 authorized strength) is simply too small to defend the Country. About 20% of this force is female. Another 20% is old out of shape males. About 10% is involved in border protection. The Hungarian military has only about 6,000-7,000 combat ready soldiers in a national emergency. This small force can be easily bypassed, surrounded and destroyed in a matter of hours and not days. Furthermore, most of the equipment and weapons of the Hungarian military are far from the last Century. Hungary, for 30+ years has failed to adequately fund its national defense depending on others to defend the Country. The recent purchases of modern weapons are too few in number and most of them will not be available for years. At the moment Hungary only has about 12 modern tanks, 12 modern fixed wing combat planes and about 20-30 rotary aircraft. In a 21st Century high intensity war this force will only last 24-48 hours, not long enough for NATO help to arrive. If the Country survives this latest threat it needs to reconsider reinstituting conscription and increase military spending not to 2% of GDP but more like 10%.