„Ukraine can’t win the war against Russia”, the Bloomberg economic portal quoted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban as saying. The Hungarian premier told Bloomberg that „looking at the reality, looking at the figures, looking at the surroundings, looking at the fact that NATO is not ready to send troops, it’s obvious that there is no victory for the Ukrainians on the battlefield.” „Emotionally it’s tragic, all of our hearts are with the Ukrainians, we understand [their suffering],” Orban, told Bloomberg. „But I’m talking as a politician who should save lives.”
Especially when you are convinced as I [am] that there is no chance to win this war. Therefore, what we should invest far more energy into is to convince everybody that the only solution is ceasefire, and then, after the ceasefire, peace talks should start.
the Hungarian prime minister said.
A ceasefire is needed first, and then we can start discussing a new European security system, the premier said. He added: „that was always my suggestion to everybody that instead of stronger involvement in the war, escalation should be stopped and we should argue in favour of peace and negotiations.”
Regarding the escalation of the war, many experts have already pointed out that there is a „very real risk” that many NATO members, which also provide military support to Ukraine, could be drawn into the war, for example in the event of a direct attack on soldiers from NATO countries who are helping the Ukrainian army, often from the background.
The Hungarian premier held a speech at the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha, where he emphasized Hungary’s very unique position in this war. Ukraine is not a distant country but Hungary’s neighbour, and „Hungary has ethnic minorities living in Ukraine, about 200 thousand, who are part of the war and conscripted into the Ukrainian army where they are dying,” PM Orban said. He added: „We are losing Hungarian lives daily. So, we have to consider this war from a special angle, and we do not belong to the mainstream European approach.”
My position has always been that this war is a failure of diplomacy, should have never happened. Looking at what’s going on in the front line, for us, it is obvious that a battlefield solution does not work. Whoever is right or not. You rightly described that Russia invaded Ukraine. The question is not who invaded who. The question is what will be next morning. The fact is that more and more people will die and there is no chance of victory on either side
the Hungarian premier stressed.
Hungarian state new agency (MTI) quoted PM Orban as saying.
Democrats are led more on ideological grounds than the Republicans, Democrats regularly try to convince people of their principles and sometimes even impose their will on others, Hungary’s prime minister explained in response to a question. „I do not like it, we have our own culture, our own way of life, do not interfere, please!” Viktor Orban said. „Do not lecture us, do not tell us what is right and what is wrong! It is not the job of the Americans, nor of any other nation, to tell Hungarians how to live,” he said. Former Republican President Donald Trump understands this well, PM Orban added.
It is a question of principle if a country like Ukraine would like to get financial support from us they cannot put our companies on a black list
MTI quoted Viktor Orban as saying. „If you need our money, please respect us, and don«t sanction our companies,” he said, referring to the fact that after Kyiv added OTP Bank to the ‘black list’, Hungary suspended its support for further EU aid to Ukraine.
Cover: In this picture released by the Prime Minister's Press Office, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (j) speaks at the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha, 23 May 2023. From left, John Micklethwait, editor-in-chief of Bloomberg (Photo: MTI/Prime Minister's Press Office/Benko Vivien Cher)
