Orbán’s right hand: Western strategy for handling the Russia-Ukraine war failed

The Western strategy for handling the Russia-Ukraine war “has failed”, the prime minister’s political director said in Brussels, adding that Europe must work out a new strategy aimed at a ceasefire and peace negotiations.

The EU’s “leadership crisis” is bound up with a strategy of European countries supporting Ukraine militarily in the hope that Russia loses and fractures, Balázs Orbán told Hungarian journalists on the sidelines of the European Union summit on Thursday.

He said developments over the past few months showed “more clearly than ever that this hasn’t happened”.

Hungary has made a proposal for peace negotiations to start and a ceasefire agreement to be adopted as soon as possible, he said.

Concerning the European Commission’s proposed medium-term review of the EU’s multi-year budget (MFF), Orbán noted plans by Brussels to increase funding for several areas, including migration policy goals and support for Ukraine.

Hungary’s position is, he said, the EU proposal was unsuitable for a debate.