Balazs Orban: Hungary Should Adopt a “Key Country" Strategy

Whether a nation becomes a key country depends not on its size or population, Balazs Orban, the Prime Minister’s Political Director, pointed out at the Tranzit Festival in Tihany.

Balazs Orban, the Hungarian Prime Minister's Political Director at the Tranzit Festival (Source: MTI/Noemi Bruzak)

"Hungary should be thinking in terms of a 'key country' strategy, and whether a country becomes a key country depends on how it secures its role in the international world order," the Prime Minister's political director said at the Tranzit Festival in Tihany.

Balazs Orban and Istvan Szent-Ivanyi at the Tranzit Debate (Photo: MTI/Noemi Bruzak)

Speaking at a debate titled “Ferry or Bridge Country” along with foreign policy expert and former liberal politician Istvan Szent-Ivanyi, Balazs Orban argued that finding balance is essential for any country. He stressed the importance of 

all the movements of the great powers surrounding a nation to align in contributing

to its economic, social, political and foreign policy strengthening.

“If a country can find that turntable, that starter key, it can function and become a key state in its own region. If not, it blends in and is condemned to being a follower in autopilot mode,” Orban said, emphasizing that the role of a key country does not depend on size or population, citing Switzerland and Singapore as examples.

Szent-Ivanyi countered that only a country whose performance justifies it—and which can serve as an attractive model—can truly be a successful or key nation. He added that the EU’s organizational culture is fundamentally one of constructive and good-faith cooperation, which he said he does not see from the Hungarian government.

Orban, however, argued that Hungary is currently experiencing one of its strongest periods, even compared to the better phases of the 20th century. Hungary, he said, is pursuing strategic cooperation with the United States, China, Russia, Turkey and emerging Arab states, while as an EU member it cooperates daily with 26 other member states across 30 policy areas.

We wanted to create a system—and we are very close to achieving it—in which every great power has an interest in Hungary’s stability and success. Hungary is part of international cooperation, shaping events,

– jelentette ki. „ Európa mi vagyunk, felelősségünk alakítani Európát, és ha Európa nem a mi érdekeinknek megfelelő irányba megy, küzdeni kell az irányváltás érdekében” – fogalmazott. A migrációról szólva kijelentette: az EU-t olyan kérdések feszítik, amelyekben logikailag lehetetlen a kompromisszum. 

he declared. “We are Europe. It is our responsibility to shape Europe, and if Europe moves in a direction contrary to our interests, we must fight for a change of course.”

On migration, he said the EU is confronted with issues where compromise is logically impossible. “Either you let them in, or you don’t. We cannot meet halfway by saying Hungary will let in every second migrant,” he said. 

Balazs Orban argued that Hungary and its political allies’ approach to such civilizational issues is being suppressed, even though different opinions should be able to coexist.

Szent-Ivanyi responded that 26 EU member states had managed to reach a migration compromise, with Hungary as the sole exception. He argued that where proper national regulations in alignment with the EU had been adopted, millions of migrants had not arrived, and the same would apply to Hungary. On Ukraine, he questioned why Hungary takes such a sharply divergent stance from EU policy. "I don't expect the government to rattle its sword on the side of Ukraine, but to at least show solidarity," the liberal ex-politician added, accusing the government of being “extremely understanding” toward Russia while constantly criticizing Ukraine, the victim. Orban replied that Prime Minister Viktor Orban had condemned Russian aggression as early as 2022. Achieving peace, he argued, requires a lasting, complex settlement between Russia and NATO, Russia and the West—covering security, energy, global power and trade—that would lay the foundations of a new security architecture for decades.

“This conversation is taking place, but EU leaders are not at the table. Nobody takes them seriously. The result could be an agreement that is unlikely to put Europe’s interests first,” Orban warned. He added that if the U.S. withdraws from the proxy war, the EU’s next budget will be consumed entirely by Ukraine, leaving “no chance of a competitiveness turnaround in Europe.”

The PM's political director described Hungary’s foreign policy as realist and national-interest-based, focused on connectivity and expanding the country's room for maneuver.

Cover photo: Balazs Orban, the Hungarian Prime Minister's Political Director at the Tranzit Festival (Source: MTI/Noemi Bruzak)