The West regarded this as an opportunity to weaken and then defeat Russia, instead of striving to isolate the conflict and curb the fallout of the war, which is the position represented by Hungary, Orbán said, noting that the West wanted to defeat Russia by using Ukrainian soldiers, but this was at the cost of many casualties.

Orbán said the question remained whether Ukraine would become a NATO member, that is whether “there will be a NATO flag or a Russian flag” flying in the Black Sea port of Sevastopol, he said, noting that the Russians did not want to live next door to a country such as Ukraine armed with state-of-the-art NATO weaponry.

Orbán said it was hopeless for Ukraine to win the war as this was exacting a “terrible price”, which was simply not worth it. He added that hundreds of thousands of Russian and Ukrainian soldiers have died so far, and one million children “will soon grow up in the eastern corner of Europe” without a father or whose father had been disabled due to war injuries.

“There will be a generation in a desperate straits, with a standard of living lagging behind that of Europeans for many years in spite of the promised reconstruction,” he added.

Orbán recalled that referendums had been held earlier in Hungary on big political issues such as migration and the issue of gender, providing support for the government.

There was no referendum on the war, but European elections were held, he said.

“Throughout the campaign, I said this was about war and peace,” Orbán said, adding that the people had made clear that they did not want Hungary to take part in the war.

“I said the minimum goal that we can achieve is to stop the European train headed for the war, but if we have enough support, I can pull the emergency brake, this train will stop, and we Hungarians will get off. If the lucky stars are in alignment, we can also convince the driver not only to let the Hungarians get off but also to stop the train,” he said.

Orbán said the minimum goal had been achieved, an agreement had been reached with the NATO general secretary that Hungary would not participate in NATO’s Ukraine mission with either money, weapons or soldiers.

“We also talked to the train driver, but could not convince him — he is a strong driver and can only be stopped by Donald Trump,” he said, referring to the upcoming US elections.

Meanwhile, the prime minister called Hungary “an “island of peace” in terms of public security, social security and the war, Orbán said, adding that he agreed on this not only with the outgoing NATO general secretary but his successor as well.

At the moment pressure on Hungary to join the war, he said, came not from NATO but from Europe.

“This battle must be fought in Brussels.” Orbán said Manfred Weber, the head of the European People’s party, had only one goal close to his heart: “to do harm to Hungary”.

“In 2019 we prevented him from becoming president of the European Commission,” he said, adding that there were also problems with Ursula von Leyen, who was elected EC president with Hungary’s support, but “she was an apprentice relative to Mr Weber’s hungarophobia”.

“As long as he is there, we can be certain that the European People’s Party is headed by an anti-Hungarian leader,” Orbán said.

He recalled that when Fidesz won the election in 2018, a few days later the Article 7 procedure was launched against Hungary with Manfred Weber’s effective support.

The same thing happened this time, he said: “the pro-peace party” won in Hungary and “the pro-war forces in Brussels immediately hit us with an unprecedented fine,” Orbán said, emphasising the close connection between the migration fine and the issue of war and peace.

He indicated, however, that working groups have been set up to fend this off and find solutions to make those who earn the most from migration and war pay this fine.

Orbán also touched on the issue of migration, citing Germany’s example.

“This is a diverse, changed, multicultural world,” he said, where “the migrants arriving here are no longer guests, but, by obtaining citizenship in an expedited procedure, are present in the country by their own right, gradually taking it over.”

He recalled that he had taken a decision in 2015: unless Hungarians demanded that migrants should be allowed in, “we would not let them in, otherwise Hungary would no longer be a Hungarian country.

Migration is one of those areas where an error cannot be corrected,” Orbán said. “I have always advised Hungarians to say no to migration, let us resist the pressure, let us preserve our country as an island of peace,” Orbán said.

Orbán: Hungary Struck Important, Favourable Deal with NATO

“We have struck a very important and very favourable agreement” with NATO, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in an interview with public radio, citing a deal under which Hungary would not participate in the Ukraine mission.

He said there was a basic difference in opinion within NATO, with 31 of the 32 member countries “wanting to defeat the Russians”.

Since Ukraine alone is unable to achieve this, they support Ukraine, believing that there was a solution in the battlefield, Orbán said.

Hungary’s position is that this was a mistake and instead of supporting either side, they should be forced to sign an immediate ceasefire, he added.

Hungary belongs among the “accepted, appreciated, loyal, and cooperative, very cooperative countries” in NATO, with 1,300 Hungarian soldiers serving in foreign missions, defence spending being above 2% of GDP, air police activities being carried out by Hungarian aircraft above neighbouring countries and the Baltic countries, and Hungary fulfilling NATO liaison roles in central Asian and African states, he said. “NATO is our home,” Orbán added.

At the same time, “NATO is supporting the war, and we are on the side of peace.” NATO’s Ukrainian mission will be set up, with three bases coordinating weapon deliveries. Hungary has rejected to take part, because weapon transfers could make the countries a target of the enemy, he said.

“I don’t want to risk Hungary’s security and Hungarians’ peace by turning even a square centimetre of the country into a Russian military target.” Besides coordinating weapon deliveries, NATO member states are “putting money together” and taking direct role in the training of troops, he said.

“Hungary is under huge pressure: 31 countries are pushing us to defect from the side of peace to that of war, or rather … the side that thinks peace can be won by war and by winning the war.”

Orbán said Hungary had set clear requests to NATO, including the statement that “we wouldn’t give a farthing” for the mission or allow Hungarian soil to be used to prepare military action; nor will Hungary deliver weapons or take part in action outside NATO territory, he said.

Regarding the stance of Ukraine’s other neighbours, Orbán said Romania and Poland saw themselves in a position where they could be of the most help to Ukraine, as they are the closest to the front lines.

“The Slovaks are cautious, the Hungarians unequivocal,” he said. Regarding the Peace March held on the eve of the elections in Budapest, Orbán said the protest had been the “greatest expression of public will” in recent period and had demonstrated that “Hungary must remain an island of peace”.

Peace should not come under threat from outside or inside, he said, adding that European experience had shown that “there is no peaceful life if there are migrants”. Orbán said the other threat was war.

*********************************

You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: 
Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoop’s groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary

You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters

Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? Then just contact us here!