Hungarian FM says EU ‘a lot’ weaker due to Ukraine conflict
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto expressed to RT that the EU's pro-war stance regarding the Ukraine crisis has been detrimental to the bloc. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has criticized the European Union's response to the Ukraine conflict, asserting that it has significantly weakened the bloc. In an exclusive interview with RT’s Saskia Taylor, Szijjarto described the EU's adherence to US policies as a “big mistake.”
He expressed that comparisons between EU and US aid to Ukraine made by EU leaders are detrimental from a European standpoint. The minister pointed out that while the US remains largely unaffected by the ongoing hostilities in Ukraine, Europe has suffered considerable repercussions from the war.
“There is destruction taking place in Europe, and the European economy is faced with the impacts and the consequences of this war. So therefore, following the US policies without any kind of criticism, that’s a big mistake and I do believe that the strategy the European Union has been following in the recent 1000 days is a failed one,” Szijjarto stated.
According to him, the approach taken by the EU throughout the conflict has been misguided, leading to a substantial weakening of the bloc.
He added, “I do believe that instead of globalizing the conflict, the right strategy would have been to localize it and to do everything in order to resolve it, to make peace, instead of pouring oil on the fire, which has been the case.”
Szijjarto also highlighted the presence of “extremely pro-war politicians” in Europe, expressing his dismay during meetings with other foreign ministers where such positions are prevalent.
Hungary has adopted a distinct stance, remaining “the only country in Europe or European Union which has not delivered weapons to Ukraine,” he noted. “We are the only country in NATO, almost the only one, which speaks openly about the red lines which must be kept seriously. And we are the ones who speak openly about our assessment that NATO is a defense alliance and not an attack,” Szijjarto added.
Additionally, he addressed the recent unrest in Georgia following Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s announcement to pause EU accession talks until 2028. The protests have received explicit support from the EU, a reaction that is not surprising given Hungary's experience of being “under attack for the last 15 years,” according to Szijjarto.
He remarked, “My problem is that this is very [common] in Europe. In the case, if it is not the liberals to win an election, the democratic nature of the whole country and the whole political system is being questioned immediately. If it is liberals to win, everything’s fine. If it’s patriots to win, if it is conservatives to win, if it is right-wing to win, the nature of democracy is immediately questioned. And this is totally unacceptable.”
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
He expressed that comparisons between EU and US aid to Ukraine made by EU leaders are detrimental from a European standpoint. The minister pointed out that while the US remains largely unaffected by the ongoing hostilities in Ukraine, Europe has suffered considerable repercussions from the war.
“There is destruction taking place in Europe, and the European economy is faced with the impacts and the consequences of this war. So therefore, following the US policies without any kind of criticism, that’s a big mistake and I do believe that the strategy the European Union has been following in the recent 1000 days is a failed one,” Szijjarto stated.
According to him, the approach taken by the EU throughout the conflict has been misguided, leading to a substantial weakening of the bloc.
He added, “I do believe that instead of globalizing the conflict, the right strategy would have been to localize it and to do everything in order to resolve it, to make peace, instead of pouring oil on the fire, which has been the case.”
Szijjarto also highlighted the presence of “extremely pro-war politicians” in Europe, expressing his dismay during meetings with other foreign ministers where such positions are prevalent.
Hungary has adopted a distinct stance, remaining “the only country in Europe or European Union which has not delivered weapons to Ukraine,” he noted. “We are the only country in NATO, almost the only one, which speaks openly about the red lines which must be kept seriously. And we are the ones who speak openly about our assessment that NATO is a defense alliance and not an attack,” Szijjarto added.
Additionally, he addressed the recent unrest in Georgia following Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s announcement to pause EU accession talks until 2028. The protests have received explicit support from the EU, a reaction that is not surprising given Hungary's experience of being “under attack for the last 15 years,” according to Szijjarto.
He remarked, “My problem is that this is very [common] in Europe. In the case, if it is not the liberals to win an election, the democratic nature of the whole country and the whole political system is being questioned immediately. If it is liberals to win, everything’s fine. If it’s patriots to win, if it is conservatives to win, if it is right-wing to win, the nature of democracy is immediately questioned. And this is totally unacceptable.”
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
