US must make security deal with Russia - Hungary

RT
Tue, 23 May 2023 14:38 UTC

© Attila Kisbenedek/AFP

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban

An agreement between the US and Russia is the only thing that can end the conflict in Ukraine, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated on Monday. Orban has repeatedly accused EU leaders of serving American, rather than European, interests by continuing to bankroll Kiev.

Speaking at the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha on Tuesday, Orban reiterated his position that Ukraine cannot win on the battlefield, and that Kiev and its Western backers must pursue peace talks with Russia.

"First we should have a ceasefire. Then let's talk about the new security architecture of the European continent. The only peace agreement that could close this whole conflict is if it is between Russia and the United States. What is at stake is the future security of Europe. It's obvious that without the US there is no security architecture for Europe, and now the war can only be stopped if the Russians can make an agreement with the United States."

As a European I am not happy with that," he added. "But this is the only way out."

Throughout the conflict, Orban has repeatedly spoken out against the West's twin policies of military aid to Kiev and sanctions on Moscow, arguing that the former risks escalating the conflict to a global war and the latter harms Europe's economy more than Russia's.

The Hungarian prime minister has also argued that only Washington has the power to pressure Kiev into peace talks, and that decisions made in Brussels "reflect American interests more often than European ones."

With the US dragging Europe into a conflict it cannot win, Orban has suggested that "the solution would be a European NATO" without the US as a member.

Hungary is currently blocking a €500 million ($540 million) EU military aid package for Ukraine. Apart from his long-standing opposition to escalating the conflict, Orban cited Ukraine's sanctioning of a Hungarian bank as a reason for the hold up.

"If a country like Ukraine would like to get our financial support, they can't put our companies on a blacklist," he said on Tuesday. "If you need our money, please respect us."

Comment: Orban is a realist not caught up in the Ukraine fairy tale:

It's "obvious" that Kiev can't win the war against Moscow. Orban, noting Hungary views the ongoing hostilities from a special angle, stated:

"Emotionally, it's tragic, all of our hearts are with the Ukrainians. But I'm speaking as a politician who should save lives. Hungary itself is losing lives daily as well due to the conflict."

Orban refered to members of Ukraine's Hungarian ethnic minority that have been "conscripted" to fight Russia. He abstained from condemning Moscow for the "invasion" of Ukraine, stating only that the hostilities were due to a major failure in diplomacy.

"[The] position of Hungary was, from the very first moment, that this war is the failure of diplomacy, it should have never happened. For us it's obvious that the battlefield solution does not work. My position is that, looking at the reality, looking at the figures, looking at the surroundings, looking at the fact that NATO is not ready to send troops, it's obvious that there's no victory for the poor Ukrainians on the battlefield."

Orban's remarks come as Hungary has opted to block a new €500 million ($544 million) military aid package from the EU's so-called European Peace Facility (EPF). The fund - which is designed to reimburse the bloc's own members to send arms and equipment overseas, as well as to finance foreign militaries directly - has been used almost exclusively to pour weaponry into Ukraine.

Hungary has taken a neutral stance on the ongoing hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, consistently refusing to provide military aid to Kiev or even allow the transport of military shipments through its territory. Budapest has also opposed the EU's anti-Russian sanctions, particularly those that would have damaged the country's own economy, including its nuclear and conventional energy sectors.