The European Union needs a new strategy for the war in Ukraine, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said, and said sanctions against Moscow are not working, Reuters reported.
“A new strategy is needed that is focused on conducting peace talks and making a good peace proposal … not on winning the war,” Orbán said in a speech in Romania. Re-elected in April for a fourth consecutive term, the politician stressed that Hungary should stay out of the war in neighboring Ukraine. Orbán has previously said that Hungary is unwilling to support European embargo measures or restrictions on Russian gas imports because it would harm the Hungarian economy, Reuters noted.
In his speech today, he stated that Western strategy is built on four pillars: the first is that Ukraine can win the war against Russia with NATO weapons; the second is that sanctions will weaken Russia and destabilize its leadership; and the others are that the sanctions will hurt Russia more than Europe and that the world will unite in its support for Europe.
Orban said this strategy had failed and European governments were collapsing “like a game of dominoes”, energy prices had risen and a new strategy was now needed. “We got into a car with all four flat tires: it is absolutely clear that the war cannot be won this way,” he told supporters.
The Hungarian prime minister also said that Ukraine would never win the war this way, “simply because the Russian army has asymmetrical superiority.”
According to Orban, there is no chance for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. “Since Russia wants guarantees for its security, this war can only end with peace talks between Russia and America,” the Hungarian leader said.
Orbán said that the danger of an economic recession hangs over all of Europe and is also a risk for the Hungarian economy. According to analysts, GDP growth will slow to around 2.5% next year. “We need to reach a new agreement with the EU, such financial talks are taking place and we will reach an agreement,” Orban said.
Brussels and Budapest are arguing over billions of euros from European funds. this has weighed on the forint in recent weeks and forced Orbán’s government to announce steps to reduce the budget deficit and lift year-old caps on petrol and energy prices and new prices for households with higher energy consumption. Orban said that keeping the restrictions on price growth would cost the budget more than 2 trillion forints ($5.15 billion) this year alone.
EU freezes EU money to Hungary over public procurement corruption fears. In addition, there are objections to the independence of the judiciary, the media and non-governmental organizations. Budapest rejects allegations of corruption.
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