Sanctions Against Russia Won’t Include Paks II - PM Orbán
- 28 Feb 2022 5:18 PM
- HungarianPolitics.com
In a special interview to state broadcaster M1 Television, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that strategic calm was what was needed when warring conflicts break out. In this regard, we must be careful not to rush to take steps or make demands that have not been completely thought through, he warned.
There is no need to urge Hungary to send weapons to the [warring] region, as we are in a neighboring country, and those with weapons may start shooting at Hungarians. After all, there are also Hungarians who live in the Transcarpathian region, and soldiers who come from there. - said the Prime Minister.
Meanwhile, the EU has already started to supply weapons to Ukraine, and Germany, Greece, Portugal, and Slovakia are already providing military equipment to assist the Ukrainian resistance.
Viktor Orbán, however, said that the Hungarian army cannot give up any of its arms, and will need every single one of its weapons as it marches to the Eastern border and defend the country’s borders, if necessary.
As the Prime Minister put it: Even if it wanted to, Hungary would not be able to make any of its military equipment available to others.
He also claimed that one did not have to be a nuclear scientist to understand the difference between Ukrainian refugees and masses of people coming here from the faraway Muslim world in hopes of a better life.
Those who come from neighboring countries have to be helped, according to Orbán: So those who come from a long distance go through quite a few safe third countries. They should be cared and helped for there. But where can the poor Ukrainians go? We are their neighbours.
Regarding sanctions, the Prime Minister said that he still didn’t believe in their effectiveness. But now that a war is upon is, this is not the time to be smart but united, which is why the Hungarian government will support any sanctions agreed to by the countries of the EU.
Any news to the contrary is disinformation, said Prime Minister Orbán, as well as news of Hungary intending to block the exclusion of Russia from the SWIFT financial system.
However, Orbán said it made no sense to launch sanctions that make Hungary pay the price of war in the end. This means that energy issues and the Paks II nuclear power plant expansion project being carried out with Russian finance and expertise should not be subject to sanctions, believes the Prime Minister.
Orbán also said that the current sanctions package did not affect the gas agreement with Russia and the government’s utility price cut policy.
In addition, Viktor Orbán complained that no aid was forthcoming from Brussels to care for the wave of refugees. He also had a few sharp words for the Hungarian left-wing, but never once uttered Vladimir Putin’s name.
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