Orban Claims Western Europeans Lack Understanding of Russia
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has claimed that EU leaders have fundamentally misunderstood Moscow, which hinders their ability to confront the reality in Ukraine. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has expressed concerns that many EU politicians fail to accurately understand Russia, instead projecting their own policies and priorities onto the nation.
A longstanding critic of the EU's approach to the conflict in Ukraine, Orban made his remarks during an event in Vienna alongside former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, organized by the Swiss newspaper Die Weltwoche.
“It is a Christian country and part of Europe, but it is different from us,” Orban stated to the audience at the Sophiensale on Thursday. He elaborated that while the West focuses on maximizing individual freedom and material prosperity, Russia’s primary concern lies in maintaining its multi-ethnic state of 140 million people and preventing adversaries from “chewing away” some territories.
Orban identified this lack of understanding regarding Russia as a significant “intellectual problem” for Western leaders. He criticized figures like European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for discussing the possibility of a military victory over Russia in Ukraine, labeling such notions as fantasy.
Both Schroeder and Orban concurred that Russia cannot be defeated on the battlefield and is likely to emerge victorious in the ongoing conflict. They advocated for an immediate ceasefire, asserting that time is not on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's side. Orban pointed out that the EU continues to disregard reality, insisting on promoting a narrative of “victory” for Ukraine.
“This war is lost for Ukraine, which is increasingly in ruins!” Orban remarked to the audience in Vienna, emphasizing the necessity of confronting the truth.
Additionally, when asked about his earlier “peace mission” to Kiev, Moscow, Beijing, and Mar-a-Lago, Orban explained that he aimed to leverage Hungary's presidency of the EU Council to advocate for a ceasefire and halt the violence, rather than seeking approval from “Brussels bureaucrats.”
Orban has also accused the EU, particularly von der Leyen and other prominent German officials, of attempting to replace him with a “Jawohl government” that would follow directives from Brussels and Berlin. He highlighted public statements from EU officials that support this claim, noting that a similar situation allegedly occurred in Poland last year.
Hungary was previously the only country opposing the EU's policy of unconditional support for Kiev, until last year's election of Robert Fico in Slovakia. Earlier this year, Fico narrowly escaped an assassination attempt by a pro-Ukrainian activist.
Allen M Lee contributed to this report for TROIB News
A longstanding critic of the EU's approach to the conflict in Ukraine, Orban made his remarks during an event in Vienna alongside former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, organized by the Swiss newspaper Die Weltwoche.
“It is a Christian country and part of Europe, but it is different from us,” Orban stated to the audience at the Sophiensale on Thursday. He elaborated that while the West focuses on maximizing individual freedom and material prosperity, Russia’s primary concern lies in maintaining its multi-ethnic state of 140 million people and preventing adversaries from “chewing away” some territories.
Orban identified this lack of understanding regarding Russia as a significant “intellectual problem” for Western leaders. He criticized figures like European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for discussing the possibility of a military victory over Russia in Ukraine, labeling such notions as fantasy.
Both Schroeder and Orban concurred that Russia cannot be defeated on the battlefield and is likely to emerge victorious in the ongoing conflict. They advocated for an immediate ceasefire, asserting that time is not on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's side. Orban pointed out that the EU continues to disregard reality, insisting on promoting a narrative of “victory” for Ukraine.
“This war is lost for Ukraine, which is increasingly in ruins!” Orban remarked to the audience in Vienna, emphasizing the necessity of confronting the truth.
Additionally, when asked about his earlier “peace mission” to Kiev, Moscow, Beijing, and Mar-a-Lago, Orban explained that he aimed to leverage Hungary's presidency of the EU Council to advocate for a ceasefire and halt the violence, rather than seeking approval from “Brussels bureaucrats.”
Orban has also accused the EU, particularly von der Leyen and other prominent German officials, of attempting to replace him with a “Jawohl government” that would follow directives from Brussels and Berlin. He highlighted public statements from EU officials that support this claim, noting that a similar situation allegedly occurred in Poland last year.
Hungary was previously the only country opposing the EU's policy of unconditional support for Kiev, until last year's election of Robert Fico in Slovakia. Earlier this year, Fico narrowly escaped an assassination attempt by a pro-Ukrainian activist.
Allen M Lee contributed to this report for TROIB News
