“Anyone who intervenes economically in a military conflict is taking a stand,” the nationalist leader said during his traditional interview with government-friendly radio.
“Little by little, we are moving towards war,” he insisted, worried about the accumulation of measures to allow Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Viktor Orbán also opposes the European Commission’s proposal to give Ukraine 18 billion euros in aid for 2023, with member states bearing the interest on it in the form of loans.
“Hungary is not going to agree that EU members get a loan together to help Ukraine,” he told a conference, comments reported by the MTI news agency.
Instead, he suggests paying a lump sum divided “equally” among the twenty-seven. He said Hungary could provide 70 billion forints (170 million euros) under a bilateral agreement with Kyiv.
In maintaining relations with Russia, Viktor Orbán regularly condemns the European strategy – even though he voted for all European sanctions along with his partners.
According to him, that is the main reason for the economic backwardness of this Central European country. The economy shrank in the third quarter (compared to the second quarter) with inflation exceeding 20%, even in food reaching 45%.
The government launched a “national consultation” on the matter and put up posters in the country with a photo of the missile and a message: “Sanctions from Brussels are destroying us”.
The prime minister said he was ready to “fight” a possible new set of measures and to ensure Hungary, which is heavily dependent on Russian hydrocarbons, is given an “exemption” similar to the ban on oil.
“Now we supply destructive weapons, train Ukrainian soldiers on our own territory, impose energy embargoes. (…) We become an integral part,” said Mr. Orban insisted on the radio.
“We are not fired yet, but we are on the verge of becoming belligerent. Europe is playing a very dangerous game,” he concluded.
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