Von der Leyen recalls 1956 Soviet occupation to send message to Hungarian government
At this year’s GLOBSEC conference, Ursula von der Leyen addressed leaders from several Central and Eastern European countries, highlighting the importance of the region to the EU, the war in Ukraine, and the Hungarian government’s foreign policy stance.
At the GLOBSEC conference on regional security, Ursula von der Leyen indirectly addressed the Hungarian Prime Minister in her keynote speech with a pointed reference to the 1956 Soviet occupation of Hungary, reports 444.hu. Although the President of the European Commission did not mention Viktor Orbán by name, the intent of her message was unmistakable.
Central and Eastern European states meet in Prague
GLOBSEC is a non-partisan, non-governmental organisation based in Slovakia, which holds the annual GLOBSEC Forum on foreign policy, security, European affairs, and the economy. According to the GLOBSEC Forum’s website, the event is “the convergence point for key figures in politics, business, think tanks, NGOs, international organisations, academia, and innovation,” with the aim to “underscore Central and Eastern Europe’s growing significance in upholding global stability.”
In 2024, the forum is hosted in Prague, where, from 30th August to 1st September, discussions will focus on four key themes: (re)defining the global order, from war to just peace, charting the GeoTech frontier, and Europe’s make-or-break moment, with more than 1,500 participants expected from over 70 countries.
This year’s event was opened by Czech President Petr Pavel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who delivered her first public speech since being re-elected for a second term as Commission President.
Photo: PrtSc / European Commission Press release
Von der Leyen: some EU leaders are “muddying the waters of our conversation about Ukraine”
Von der Leyen began her keynote speech by emphasising that “Central Europe is not only geographically at the heart of Europe. It is also politically and strategically central to the future of the European Union.” Highlighting the dynamism of the Czech and Polish economies, she remarked that “when we talk about competitiveness, I think Europe’s West has a lot to learn from Europe’s East.”
Beyond the economy, the region has demonstrated “impressive strength” in response to the war in Ukraine, becoming “the beating heart of European solidarity.” Reflecting on two and a half years of Russia’s invasion, she noted that “Peace cannot be taken for granted. You warned us years ago about Putin’s intentions. Well, we should have listened more closely to Central and Eastern Europe.”
However, von der Leyen continued: “Today, some politicians inside our Union, and even in this part of Europe, are muddying the waters of our conversation about Ukraine.” These politicians blame the war not on “Putin’s lust for power but on Ukraine’s thirst for freedom.” Although she did not name Viktor Orbán directly, her words were clearly directed at the Hungarian Prime Minister. This became even more evident when she posed the question:
“Would you ever blame Hungarians for the Soviet invasion of 1956?”
She went on to state that when the Soviets invaded Hungary, or when they suppressed the Czechs in 1968, “The Kremlin’s behaviour was illegal and atrocious back then. And the Kremlin’s behaviour is illegal and atrocious today.” Von der Leyen concluded that peace is not synonymous with surrender, nor is sovereignty synonymous with occupation. Therefore, politicians who argue “to stop support for Ukraine do not argue for peace. They argue for appeasement and the subjugation of Ukraine.”
Peace, she continued, is not simply the absence of war, but rather*“a settlement that makes war impossible and unnecessary.” Such a peace effort, she argued, should focus on the integration of Ukraine into the EU and a rethinking of Europe’s security architecture, particularly concerning Europe’s dependence on Russian energy and its means of self-defence.
Read also:
- Foreign ministry: Brussels trying to pressurise Hungary into taking pro-war stance for years
- Here is what the Hungarian government is asking of Brussels
Source: 444.hu
Well said by Von Der Leyen. You have to keep in mind that Hungary is now a client state of Russia. Fidesz wants Russia to succeed in its’ invasion of Ukraine and likely Putin has promised something to Orban in return for his help in blocking European assistance to Ukraine. Russia pays off the leaders of neighbouring countries that it seeks to control. Fidesz runs non-stop Kremlin loving anti-Western propaganda to manufacture popular support for its’ Russia friendly actions. Hungarians may be manipulated but the rest of us in the West will oppose Fidesz and Hungarians in the end will pay a heavy price for electing their mafia government. Their country is already becoming poorer relative to the rest of the EU and is falling apart under the weight of corruption and terrible mismanagement.
Door “closes” little bit more, on the HUMILIATION rightfully on the name Victor Mihaly. Orban,
STRENGTH in numbers continue to “Shoot” Orban down from within the “other” 26 members of the European Union – who practice function as, in line with the Laws of membership of the European Union – DEMOCRACY.
Hungarians in millions are the VICTIMS through the “Destructive” – Political Ides and Philosophy – Ideology of Victor Mihaly. Orban.
Hungary – whilst the name Orban, the Political Party name – Fidesz is seen representing Hungary, in matters conducted in the European Union, they WILL be “Granted” no favours and SUBJECTED rightfully to a VERY slow process conducted under a “microscope” process, through – on his SHOULDERS – the name Victor Mihaly. Orban – what he, his Fidesz Government, have ESTABLISHED as a member country of the European Union.
Hungary – the innocence of millions, being BETRAYED on the (2) two occasions, or re-electing Orban and the Fidesz Government, a country already with 3.1 million Hungarians living in POVERTY – what is our FUTURE ?
Is it really possible this woman is not aware the number 2 person in the US state department was in crowd passing out cookies and water as they cheered destroying the twice electected goverment and left the mess that you have today. How dare Russia react especially after many warnings. Interesting they cancel any elections, because they know what would happen if they had a Russia friendly canidate – the powers that be will not let it happen. Russia today is nothing like the USSR. I they have never excepted the fact and insist they are the evil empire. You can base Putin all you want, the people have responded big time with 80% majority.
Like Eastern Europe, Russia advance as much at the same time and 2 of the largest Cites in Europe that doesn’t have the problems of Europe that are destroying it.
Western Europe + UK are in steep decline. Socially, economically and spiritually. The EU lectures, accuses and criticizes policies coming out of Hungary yet after a bit of time, we all realize that Hungary has taken the most effective (common sense) approach to all of the major issues effecting Europe (and the World). It was the Western European “Nations” who begged for mass migration. They may never recover from that. It was the Western “nations” who created a pipeline between Russia and Europe. Hmmm. How’s that working out? And yes, let’s have China manufacture all of our faulty wind farm equipment and solar panels with their coal powered plants while Europeans are asked to give up their own quality of life. And now, let’s start WW3 and have Hungary turned into an army base while Western Europe and the US sit far away and watch how it unfolds. Because Ursula says so? She has never found success in her past work experiences but somehow was voted to head the EU and cast her reckless mandates upon the masses. The propaganda around that war is misleading everyone into thinking it’s a winnable war. If the Ukrainians were doing so well, then why has the West found it necessary to increase their involvement? We don’t even know where all of the weapons and money have gone? The Ukraine war is effecting everyone’s quality of life, making it harder on people to live, while funneling money to a corrupt nation to fight another corrupt nation. And the propaganda out of the West has brainwashed more people into accepting an INSANE reality that will lead to more division and hardship. None of which was necessary. And if you speak against the “party” then you will be ostracized, vilified and dealt with. So who are the real communists? I can’t believe so many people have their eyes closed.
Where ursula is wrong is when she said that central and east Europe warned about Putin intensions. Idk what politicians really thought about crimea, but they had plenty of time to think about everything that could go wrong regarding army, energy, and economics after a break up with Russian relationship. That said, I have heard many times some Hungarians that urss and Russia is not the same, well, idk what does that even mean for you. But i see the same kind of bahviors, repression, invasion, corruption, etc. maybe it has another name and they are not as socialist as they were, but in its sense is very very similar.
USSR and modern day Russia are essentially the same with the differences being restricted to the fact that the USSR’s territory has shrunk, it permits enormous wealth aquisition for oligarchs with government patronage in a way that didn’t exist in the USSR, power is now concentrated in a single individual as opposed to a Politburo and its economic policy has swung from a centralised command economy to National Socialism. None of these changes are ‘desirable’ from either a Russian nor a global perspective, the only thing we need to be thankful for is that once omnipotent Red Army is no longer and Russia exhibits an inability to overpower a much smaller neighbouring state.
Any Hungarian that claims these are not one and the same people and a seamless extension of the same regime that brutally put down their freedom fight in 1956 is a fool.
Good comment Jose. It is the Russian “Siloviki” who control the country. It’s the same people as before using violence and intimidation against all opposition in the country to silence the people and keep them in line. Anyone so much as publicly referring to the conflict in Ukraine as a “war” is subject to jail time. Putin is an ex-KGB colonel and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church Kirill is also ex-KGB using the church as a tool to give legitimacy to the violently suppressive state and its’ barbaric invasion of Ukraine.
Historically, Hungary always lost when aligned with a western EU countries.
Austo-Hungarian Empire ended up in a disaster due to the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, Hungary lost 3/4 of its territory.
Forced siding with Germany during WWII finished with UK, Uk, France giving central European countries to Russia while rebuilding Germany, the culprit on WWII.
1956 was probably instigated by CIA, (that it only a logical deduction, with no proof) resulted in death and destruction. Thousands of young people killed, and reign of terror followed. Let see, the west twiddled its thumb, made strong statements like “Oh My”.
Central EU countries, with the help of Republican President Reagan (not one European leader) helped these countries separate from Russia.
For many years, central European nations managed to co-exist with Russia, including Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia.
EU members at the insistence of globalists started the expansion.
EU hoped that central EU countries will become the EU’s new scape goats, and it worked for a while.
Then a pro-national party FIDESZ was elected. All hell broke loose.
In 1991 Ukraine was created. This country was totally corrupt and is still corrupt.
In 2015 Europe was invaded by hordes of Muslims and uneducated individuals.
Hungary closed its border after 400,000 criminals forced their way into the country ignoring the Dublin Agreement.
Merkel saved Hungary by accepting all illegal, thereby ruining Germany and German standard of living.
The EU never forgave Hungary for not accepting criminal illegal aliens, even though these people had ample opportunity to apply for legal entry in many safe EU countries.
Until Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the EU totally ignored corrupt Ukraine.
The 2022 invasion gave the opportunity to EU and US to weaken Russia. Both EU and US decided to supply weapons to Ukraine to extend the war as long as possible; the war is still going strong. Ukraine is pretty well destroyed and real death toll is not published.
Guess what, Hungary is the problem. Not Zelensky with his two villas on the Dalmation coast. Not the money embezzled by Ukrainians and weapons sold on the black market.
Hungary is the problem because it is not supporting the war.
EU members have lost their collective minds. The EU and US is borrowing heavily to supply Ukraine, money that the next generation will have to repay. Hungary is the problem because they do not want to play.
Hungary should declare neutrality, get out of EU and make trade agreements with countries all around the world, minus enemy countries of western Europe and US democrats.
Hungary survived over 1000 years, there is no reason to cede sovereignty now to corrupt EU.
President Trump, like President Reagan are Hungary’s guarantee of a future.
Maria, i cordially invite you to create a meeting and ask Fidesz to leave the EU And Nato. And now that you are talking about “Hungarian survival” how many years do you think Hungarians will be around when the birth rate is so low? Is a serious question:)
This unelected bureaucrat forget to mention that the West did not give one cent to the Hungarian freedom fighters in contrast to the billions given to Ukraine for the same outcome. Just shut up before you embarrass yourself further.
Now we hear from Von der Liar, what a joke; Speaking about “Ukraine’s thirst for freedom” when it should be corporate greed for Ukrainian land & natural resources.
Speaking of client states, what exactly do you think the Ukraine was and is now? It wouldn’t survive another day without Western support and is completely at the whim of it’s Western backers.
After the Western backed coup d’état in 2014 where they kicked out the elected president, when the US’s Viky “**** the Eu” Nuland was handing out cookies, the Ukraine became subservient to Western powers.
The only reason the Ukraine has some public support in the West is due to the complete media blackout there of news from the East, their population only gets one side of the story which is often fabricated propaganda; Ghost of Kiev anyone?
If the Western population really knew just how corrupt the Ukraine is, how many villas coke-Z has and how their taxpayer dollars have been spent, I am sure that they would be outraged; wasn’t it Kotvitsky’s wife that got busted bringing in 28 million dollars to Hungary, US tax-payer money well spent?
Your Ukrainian fiasco will probably be more embarrassing then your middle of the night retreat from Afghanistan; How much equipment and how many friendlies did you leave behind there?
Jose, there is definitely something wrong with your thinking process. I suggest get mental help.
This thread is quite simply shocking to read. Shocking because it’s actually quite representative of the way the Hungarian mainstream thinks these days. Hungary will end up being surgically de-linked from the west within a fairly short space of time if it continues on this path and these Kremlin shills will be cheering from the sidelines. Good luck fending off a rapacious Russia outside of the framework of NATO, we’ll see how well your brothers from Moscow treat you when Hungary becomes another Russian colony, you can kiss your sovereignity goodbye.
Hungary should not have and should never be linked to the west. The west wants Hungary to be the dumping ground of uneducated criminal migrants to be supported by the hardworking taxpayers of the country.
Detached Russian Republics so far have not complained about Russian interference. Yes, there were problems in Georgia and Chechen. Russia actually omitted killing Hungarians in Transcarpathia. Now the Ukrainians that persecuted the small ethnic minority grabbed 16-year-old ethnic Hungarian boys and sent them to the front to be killed. Furthermore, while Transcarpathia was under Russian jurisdiction, Hungarians did not complain.
Hungary always lost when sided by the west. The EU never forgave Hungary for keeping out the invading hordes.
It is time for Hungary to declare neutrality and leave despicable Brussels and rest of despicable western despots.
By-the-way. someone should remind von der Leyen that it was the west that saddled Hungary and other central European countries with Russian dictatorship at the end of WWII. The west did nothing to help Hungary in 1956, the west may have said isn’t it too bad. Hungary owed nothing to EU and especially to Germany or any other Germans.