PM Orban: European Politics Faces Serious Challenges

Security challenges, wars and blocification are among the issues Hungary's PM spoke about at the Organization of Turkic States summit.

A Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda által közreadott képen Orbán Viktor miniszterelnök (k) felszólal a Türk Államok Szervezete 10. csúcstalálkozóján Asztanában 2023. november 3-án. MTI/Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Fischer Zoltán Fotó: Fischer Zoltán

Recent global developments have been turbulent and European politics is confronted with serious challenges, the prime minister said on Friday at the 10th Summit of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) in Astana. In his speech Viktor Orban said that we are facing difficult dilemmas and the answers Europe gives will have a strong impact on the relationship between the Turkic world and the continent. From a European perspective, he said, global security is at its worst since the end of the Cold War.

The situation has never been this difficult and complicated in the last thirty years as it is now,

he stressed.

The prime minister recalled that the Russian-Ukrainian war has been going on for a year and a half, there is an armed conflict in the Middle East, the threat of terrorism is increasing in the countries of the European Union, and that they are incapable of stopping the "shock waves" of migration at the borders of Europe - the only exception to this being Hungary. The world economy has been upturned twice in a short period of time, once due to Covid, once with the war in Ukraine, while energy prices rose, seriously undermining European competitiveness. "The European dilemma: does the formation of blocs in the world economy or the development of global connections and connectivity best serve Europe's interests," stated Viktor Orban.

 

World heading towards blocification

He explained that one camp wants to push Europe towards blocification: first, they cut the ties of European-Russian economic cooperation, which was the basis of the continent's economy, and are now debating whether to limit relations with the East, including China. The other camp, which includes Hungary, wants to strengthen cooperation and sees interdependence as an opportunity for development and increasing competitiveness. "That is why we want the next period to be about connectivity and global interconnections," he emphasized, adding that he sees the Turkic Council as a "champion of connectivity" and is convinced that the direction they have taken in recent years was the right one. The prime minister touched on the European debate surrounding the Russia-Ukraine war, noting that it poses a direct risk to everyone on the continent, including Hungarians.

A year and a half has passed, and I must say, it is clear that the Europe's strategy so far has failed,

he pointed out.

"The plan was that Ukraine would fight, we in the West would give the money and the weapons, Ukraine would win, Russia would lose on the battlefield, there would be changes in Moscow, and a deal could be made with the new Russian leadership," the premier summarized and called it an ambitious and logical plan. But it didn't work, so the question now dominating European politics is whether to face reality and come up with a Plan B. He recalled that the EU is currently discussing whether to give EUR 50 billion to Ukraine, which Mr Orban considers a sign that the majority still thinks that the previous, failed strategy should be followed and financed.

The prime minister added that this debate is causing great tension among European countries and will last at least two months.

Plan B: Ceasefire

"I would like to inform the Mister Presidents in attendance that Hungary is calling for a Plan B:  a ceasefire, peace negotiations and the building of a new European security architecture, which is reassuring for Ukraine and acceptable to Russia", the Hungarian PM said, and expressed his conviction that Turkey, and through Turkey the Turkic world, must also be represented in the new European security architecture, because without Turkey it is impossible to imagine a sustainable and long-term European security structure.

In the current international situation, the role of the Organization of Turkic States is increasing; the Turkic states have been able to moderate conflicts and reduce the risks of escalation. "Hungary would like to continue to strengthen this policy in the Organization of Turkic States," the PM emphasized.

Hungarian PM Viktor Orban (left) and Azeri President Ilham Aliyev (right) at the 10th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Astana, on November 3, 2023. Photo: Zoltan Fischer

Hungary to engage in Turkic Investment Fund

The Prime Minister confirmed that Hungary is poised to participate in the work of the Turkic Investment Fund and maintains its previous commitment to contribute EUR 100 million. He thanked members for accepting Hungary into the Council on Green Finance and pointed out that Hungary is one of the 20 countries in the world whose GDP is growing while its emissions are decreasing. In his speech, PM Orban thanked Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for inviting him to the summit, noting that he was delighted to be there and wished him a successful presidency. He expressed the respect of the Hungarian people to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkey on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic by saying that "we Hungarians are well aware what a great achievement this was a hundred years ago on the part of Turkiye, and which - unfortunately - a hundred years ago, we Hungarians were not able to achieve ".

He also thanked President Erdogan for his efforts to restore peace in Europe.

PM Orban extended special thanks to Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, for successfully leading the work of the Organization of Turkic States in "a very difficult and complicated" period, and wished Azeri President Ilham Aliyev success in his work to stabilize the region and in the reconstruction of Karabakh.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban (center) speaks in Astana at the 10th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States on November 32023 (Photo: MTI/Prime Minister's Press Office/Zoltan Fischer )