"We will recover from the war," PM Viktor Orban declared in an evening interview. Speaking to Hungary's public news channel M1, Mr. orban reflected on the year, stating that "we are within arm’s reach of peace." He added that surviving 2024 was crucial, given that the war has been raging in Hungary's neighborhood for three years. The prospect of its end, he said, would feel like "coming up for air after being underwater."
Peace mission: what are its results?
When asked about the outcomes of his two peace missions, PM Orban described the overall picture as dismal. However, whereas six months ago - when we took over the EU's rotating presidency - talking about peace was practically forbidden, now everyone is talking about peace," he added, explaining how the situation's changed.
There are disagreements between the incoming U.S. president, Donald Trump, and EU leadership over the ongoing war in Ukraine.
"This war has been lost by the European Union," Mr. Orban said.
While EU officials will attempt to communicate this differently, the reality has already been evident on the battlefield, he added.
The Patriots will transform the entire Western world
Mr. Orban suggested that Brussels is "lagging behind with an outdated brochure." He said with Trump taking office, the world will change and the Patriots will grow stronger, which will fundamentally reshape the Western world.
The prime minister recalled that in 2022, there was a moment when peace could have been brokered between the warring sides, but the West did not want it at the time. Responding to whether he could mediate between the parties, Mr. Orban remarked that the political world often operates very differently than analysts imagine. He dismissed the need for mediation, asserting that "the Americans are a large power, so they will articulate to everyone what they want."
Brussels lacks serious clout
PM Orban argued that in major international tests of strength, Brussels does not exist as Europe’s representative. Instead, weight lies with Paris, Berlin, and Rome. Yet, he noted, both the French and German governments have failed and are now fragmented, reflecting Europe’s weakened state in the current global environment.