The pacifist blackmailer
Ukraine's admission to the EU has a major opponent: Viktor Orban. The Hungarian head of government is paying dearly for his abstention in the vote on the opening of accession talks - and is also playing the pacifist.
Europe's Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin's lapdog or simply: dictator. There are many opinions about Viktor Orban, very few of them flattering. But one thing is clear: Hungary's head of government knows how to attract attention. At the EU summit in Brussels, everything revolved around the right-wing populist once again until Friday.
An EU aid package for Ukraine worth 50 billion euros is stuck because of Orban's veto. Thanks to Hungary, the Europeans will have to hold a special summit at the beginning of 2024, which could lead to a new edition of the Viktor Orban show.
One of the right-wing populist's motives: money. The 60-year-old blurted this out quite openly on Hungarian radio. The debate about further billions in aid for Ukraine was "a great opportunity for Hungary to make it clear that it should get what it deserves", Orban said in the direction of Brussels. "Not half, not a quarter, but everything."
In plain language: the EU should release the entire billions in aid that have been frozen in the dispute over rule of law violations in Hungary. On the eve of the summit, President Ursula von der Leyen's EU Commission had already released a good ten billion for Hungary after Budapest had enacted a judicial reform, at least on paper.
"Orban is not stupid"
The ten billion is not even half of the total amount frozen. Other funds are on hold due to violations of the rights of sexual minorities or asylum law, for example. Many diplomats and MEPs accuse Orban, who has been in power since 2010 and had a first term in office from 1998 to 2002, of "blackmail". However, the long-standing leader of the Fidesz party did not openly demand the EU funds from the heads of state and government, according to summit participants. "Orban is not stupid," they said in Brussels. Everyone knows what he wants anyway.
Orban first announced his blockade at a European summit in Granada in southern Spain in October, which was also attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi. "Brussels has come up with the idea of giving Ukraine unconditional war money for another four years," Orban railed in a video that he circulated in online networks during the meeting. "Instead of peace, they want this money to support the continued killing," he said in the film, which was accompanied by sombre tones and battle scenes.
So is Orban a pacifist at heart? His very relaxed relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, with whom he was recently photographed on the fringes of a trip to China, speaks against this. According to diplomats, Orban is not interested in peace but in Russian gas and oil, which Hungary continues to purchase on a large scale despite all EU decisions.
Orban: talks with Ukraine pointless
Orban also repeatedly disparaged EU accession negotiations with Ukraine. The breakthrough at the summit was only achieved thanks to a negotiating trick by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz: he suggested that Orban leave the room and the opening of accession negotiations was then agreed with the required unanimity.
Orban then distanced himself from the summit agreement for his domestic audience and spoke of a "completely senseless, irrational and wrong decision". However, there are still around "75 opportunities for the Hungarian government to stop this process", he exulted. After all, every single step towards EU accession requires unanimity - especially as Hungary will take over the rotating presidency of the EU Council next July, which is already causing a bad mood.
Selensky had warned the Europeans at the start of the summit that Hungary could cause failure. Russian President Vladimir Putin would acknowledge this with a "satisfied smile", he said in a video link.
The thanks to Orban from the Kremlin were not long in coming. Unlike many European countries, Hungary was stubbornly defending its interests, said Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov during the EU summit. "That impresses us."
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Despite Viktor Orban's opposition, Ukraine's EU accession progress remains stalled due to Hungary's veto at the EU summit. Orban's position has negatively impacted EU-Ukraine relations and resulted in a potential special summit in early 2024. Moreover, Orban's remarks suggest he wants Hungary to receive its fair share of EU aid funds blocked due to rule of law violations.
Source: www.ntv.de
