According to the Prime Minister, the ceasefire is not the worst thing that can happen to the Ukrainians.
Viktor Orbán debated with former Austrian chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel for the European Voices discussion board. The conversation was observed by Die Presse .
Among other things, the two politicians discussed the situation in Ukraine, the European Union, and the upcoming Hungarian EU presidency.
Regarding Ukraine, the Hungarian Prime Minister stated that "Whether you like it or not, whether the Ukrainians like it or not, Ukraine is on the map where it is." He added, “the Russians will destroy Ukraine again and again and again and again.
Russia will never accept an EU and NATO member like Ukraine on its doorstep. Never"
Schüssel suggested that a ceasefire agreement would be tantamount to defeat for Ukraine. Viktor Orbán responded to this by saying
it depends on how we see the future, as Ukraine could lose more territory and eventually lose the war if no deal is reached.
He added that Russia will never recognize Ukraine as a negotiating partner, only the United States, and "if we are clever", then even the European Union.
Schlüssel responded by saying that Russia cannot be trusted, but according to Viktor Orbán, this is not a matter of trust, but of strength, and that the EU is currently not strong enough for Russia to take seriously.
"We are experiencing an epochal change in the world economy, which can happen once every 500 years.
The end of the dominant position of the West"
he added.
According to the prime minister, the claim that Ukraine would "protect Europe" is also not true, as there is no danger of Russia attacking NATO, of which Hungary is a part.
"Unfortunately, the war in Ukraine will not end this year. We will do our best to
to at least establish a ceasefire and create a situation in which we can negotiate," he added.
Regarding the European Parliament, the Hungarian Prime Minister said that "it should be considered" that the member states return to the previous system in which the MEPs were not elected directly, but were delegated by the national parliaments.
Viktor Orbán also said that the Hungarian EU presidency will have two priorities, improving the EU's competitiveness and completing the "old enlargement".
According to the Hungarian Prime Minister, "if we do not integrate Serbia as quickly as possible, then we will lose it. Serbia has other options,
recently concluded a free trade agreement with China”.
According to Orbán, starting accession negotiations with Ukraine only makes political sense, since Ukraine will never be a member of the EU.
Featured image: Die Presse / Zoltán Fischer
