Válasz Online: Hungary’s strongest allies view PM Orbán as a traitor

Péter Magyari, a journalist for Válasz Online, argues that Washington, Brussels, and Berlin no longer wish to persuade the Hungarian Prime Minister regarding anything, as they perceive Orbán and his government as traitors to Western powers and values. This situation could lead to significant policy changes in Budapest, as well as potential sanctions against Hungary, as relations have reached an unprecedented low.

Magyari begins by noting that US Ambassador David Pressman threatened the Hungarian government during a speech at the Budapest Forum on 18 September. He stated, “There must be a reckoning for Hungary’s allies and partners. We too must recognise that what we used to dismiss with an eye-roll requires us to confront it directly and respond to it unflinchingly.”

Pressman remarked that there was a troubling consistency between the words and actions of the Orbán administration. He added that the government exploits the aggressive rhetoric of pro-government media. “Hungary’s billboards, headlines, and statements are no longer – if they ever were – mere words, political rhetoric, or communications ploys. They are an arm of state power,” Pressman asserted.

Magyari believes Pressman chose his words with great care, as diplomats are always required to do so. The term “arm” is particularly significant in this context, suggesting that Hungary has opted to align itself with the “wrong” side of history. If the American ambassador expresses such views, it is clear that Washington considers the Hungarian government a potential threat.

Attacks from American Republicans

Furthermore, Republican leaders in the US have launched additional attacks against PM Orbán and his administration. Mitch McConnell, the US Senate Republican leader, stated that PM Orbán admires Russian President Putin and supports him. “His government runs interference for Moscow, gumming up European and trans-Atlantic efforts to combat Russia’s unlawful aggression at every turn,” he asserted.

McConnell also condemned Orbán’s cordial relations with Xi Jinping and the increasing Chinese influence and investments in Hungary.  “When Chinese state enterprise has said jump, Hungarian officials have asked, how high?”, he wrote. “As European allies began to heed warnings from the Trump Administration to reduce reliance on Chinese industry and technology, Budapest repeatedly blocked EU progress and welcomed a geyser of Chinese Belt-and-Road investment.”

McConnell further criticised Hungary’s relationship with Iran, saying, “I have little sympathy for Hungarian companies that struggle to profit from their ties to the genocidal regime in Tehran.” He concluded that the Orbán regime is betting on an American decline. “They’re not hiding the ways they’re preparing for American weakness and betting on our failure.”

In the first weeks of October, a Senate delegation visited Hungary and expressed concerns regarding the deepening ties between Russia and Hungary, as well as China and Hungary, along with the ongoing erosion of democratic institutions in Hungary.

Démarche from Germany and France

The United States is not the Orbán cabinet’s sole critic in the Western hemisphere. We wrote HERE that the ambassadors of Germany and France sent a démarche to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about Balázs Orbán’s words. Balázs Orbán is the political director of PM Orbán, but they are not related. Mr Orbán sat behind the prime minister even today in Strasbourg while his boss was explaining the priorities of the Hungarian EU Presidency and answering critical remarks said by the officials of the European Commission and MEPs.

Balázs Orbán said in an interview that they would not have recommended Zelensky defend his country against Russian aggression. That is because the Hungarians learned from our 1956 anti-Communist uprising that resisting a Russian invasion is futile. Orbán’s words were followed by public outcry. The two ambassadors said such thoughts undermine the common values of NATO and the European Union.

Orbán not neutral

Válasz Online believes that Germany’s message was unequivocal: PM Orbán’s notion of “economic neutrality” and his failure to choose between East and West are unacceptable to the West.

Politicians in the West perceive the Hungarian government as a puppet of China and a supporter of Putin. This is not neutrality; rather, it is an alignment with adversaries.

Meanwhile, Magyari points out that Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has expressed the Hungarian government’s warm feelings towards Milorad Dodik, the leader of the Serbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Washington has imposed sanctions on Dodik multiple times due to his actions undermining the Dayton Agreement.

Szijjártó, for instance, consistently praises Belarus, Russia, China, and other Eastern nations on his Facebook page, while routinely criticising Western leaders. He has claimed that China is a global peacemaker, while American and EU politicians are pro-war, risking further escalation. This indicates that the Hungarian government views NATO as a threat to global peace, rather than Russia, which invaded Ukraine in 2022.

Strong ties to Russia harm business

Media reports indicate that the Orbán cabinet’s close ties to Russia were a key factor in the Hungarian company Ganz-Mávag’s failure to acquire the Spanish company Talgo in September.

All these factors suggest a shift in Hungary’s standing within the West. Magyari contends that Hungary is no longer seen as an ally but rather as a foe. The journalist expressed uncertainty regarding whether there are any quiet negotiations about a policy shift from Hungary or further sanctions from the EU. Many speculate that the outcome of Trump’s election in November will significantly influence these issues.

Read also:

• PM Orbán in the ‘lion’s den’: can he convince the European Parliament that he wasn’t a traitor? – read more HERE
• Counter-protester interrupts start of Viktor Orbán’s press conference in Strasbourg, he asked how much he betrayed Hungary for – video and more in THIS article

Péter Magyari,  a journalist for Válasz Online, should not be confused with Péter Magyar, the leader of the Hungarian opposition Tisza Party and currently the most significant challenger to the Orbán regime.

Featured image: Geert Wilders, leader of the Dutch Freedom Party, Andre Ventura, the leader of the Portuguese Chega party, Italian deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini, and PM Viktor Orbán in Pontida last weekend. Photo: MTI