Hungarian President Viktor Orbán has consistently called for peace and said last week that Hungary “…will not allow them to squeeze us into a war.”
Ambassador Pressman Sanctions a Bank in Hungary
Last week, David Pressman told the media that the U.S. would sanction a bank in Hungary for allowing the continuance of a Hungary-based bank with Kremlin ties.
Pressman expressed the US frustration over Hungary allowing it to continue.
US sanctioned a Hungary-based bank with Russian ties.
The presence of any “Kremlin-led platform” in Europe is a “potential threat” to both the EU and its Western allies, said US Ambassador to Hungary, David Pressman, adding that the bank was “Moscow’s tool” to increase influence… pic.twitter.com/AF1KhW343G
— Yasmina (@yasminalombaert) April 14, 2023
President Orbán responded characteristically.
The Hungarian Premier said that the bank, which was established in 2019, had the potential to develop Slavic nations significantly, but now, with the war and the sanctions, “it is destroyed.”
“The United States has not given up its plan to squeeze everyone, including Hungary, into a war alliance, to go with the crowd,” Orbán told a press conference last week. He encouraged the rest of the EU to follow his lead.
“But I have made it clear several times, and Hungarian diplomacy has also expressed this, that the will of the Hungarian people is clear, and our knowledge of history is quite solid, so we will not allow this.”
“We will not allow them to squeeze us into a war. We will not send any weapons, and we will not be involved in a conflict that is not our war,” the Hungarian premier added.
He also noted that ambassadors are political appointments in America.
-
The Importance of Prayer: How a Christian Gold Company Stands Out by Defending Americans’ Retirement
What?
In a tweet on Friday, he made it clear he wasn’t behind Ukraine joining NATO. Jens Stoltenberg, a D.C. mouthpiece, told Ukraine’s President Zelensky, “Your place is NATO.”
Mr. Orbán simply said, “What?” and linked to the Politico.eu article elaborating on the issue.
What?! https://t.co/j3mJojHHOl
— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) April 21, 2023
If the administration forces US soldiers and implements the draft to fight Russia, and when the body bags start coming home, Americans won’t support the war either.
On Friday, Mr. Stoltenberg made his first wartime visit to Ukraine. It was a surprise visit in which he declared that Ukraine had a “rightful place” within the bloc.
Speaking in Kyiv alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Stoltenberg said that the country belongs in the Euro-Atlantic family.
“Ukraine’s rightful place is in NATO,” the secretary-general said, “and over time, our support will help you make this possible.” Ukraine’s government formally requested “accelerated accession” to join NATO in September last year. But while NATO promised in 2008 that Ukraine would eventually become a member, most allies — including the U.S. — have been wary of creating a concrete pathway to the alliance for Kyiv while war rages on.
Mr. Stoltenberg praised the equipment that more members of the alliance are sending.
“Allies are now delivering more jets, tanks, and armored vehicles, and NATO’s Ukraine fund is providing urgent support… All of this is making a real difference on the battlefield today,” Stoltenberg asserted. He further claimed that Kiev has a “rightful” place within the bloc.
He said further that membership would be discussed at the upcoming Vilnius Summit.
The Red Line
Russia views Ukraine’s membership in NATO as an existential threat. They’ll destroy the entire country before they allow it. At least, that is the suggestion. Russia has called up another 500,000 troops to join the fight.
Hungary continues to call for peace and explains why.
Preparatory VC for this week’s #EUCO. The risk of escalation in the #RussiaUkraineWar has never been this high. At times of war the first step towards peace is always a ceasefire. Time to make it happen! pic.twitter.com/ds9TSUUILs
— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) March 21, 2023
In this abbreviated clip, Mr. Orbán explains why Hungary cannot see the Ukraine-Russia War [US proxy war] the same way the US sees it.
🇺🇸 is not threatened by the #RussiaUkraineWar, but we are. Therefore we would like the US to understand our special position: this war has a much different perspective from Budapest than from Washington. This is why we are calling for a #ceasefire and #peacetalks. pic.twitter.com/S34g3X7FAv
— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) April 15, 2023
The EU Commission and member state officials will discuss an 11th set of sanctions on Friday, FT wrote. They appear to be limited to sanctioning more individuals and freezing their assets and ability to travel. The Commission might be able to close some loopholes. However, anything to do with the Russian economy that has been left unsanctioned are, by their own admission, also things EU members cannot live without.
The EU has run out of options, and some in the bloc are unwilling to follow Ukraine into World War III, including Turkey and France.
Many don’t believe Russia is trying to take over all of Europe.
wpDiscuz
