In connection with the EU summit to be held in the Belgian capital with the attendance of the leaders of EU Member States, Mr Orbán said items on the agenda of the meeting also include the next seven-year budget, migration and the topic of the Middle East, but all these otherwise important issues will be overshadowed by the issue of war and peace.
Approaching the issue from the angle of support for Ukraine, we must discuss whether we should give Ukraine assistance, including military and financial, and if so, how much and in what form, the Prime Minister said, observing that this is the question that will lie on the table during the period ahead.
He said pro-war forces want to provide continued support for Ukraine, while those who do not, say that, at this point in time, we should not adopt any decision, we should wait for the outcome of the US-Russian talks. All we – pro-peace forces – should say is that we support the Americans’ peace efforts, and we should not adopt any strategic decision at this point in time because that only reduces the chance of the success of the US talks, Mr Orbán stressed, adding that in the next few days, there will be a “clash” between the pro-war and pro-peace forces.
Should we support Ukraine, what should happen to the frozen Russian assets, if that does not work, what other financial support should we give, what consequences does this have for future generations, what should be the magnitude of that support and how should we relate to the US peace plans? These are the questions to be debated, Mr Orbán said, observing that “this is more or less the bouquet from which everyone can pick the flowers that are the most important for them.”
In answer to a question relating to the freezing of Russian assets, the Prime Minister said so far, the European Council had adopted unanimous decisions on this issue every six months, and as part of this, Hungary had a chance to state its position. However, they have changed this legal situation – unlawfully –, the decision has been extended indefinitely, and it can now also be adopted without unanimity. So far, Hungary had a veto on this, but this right has been taken away from us, the Prime Minister said, adding that “this is an open violation of the law, there is no doubt about it, we will take legal steps.”
He pointed out that at present, a unanimous decision was required in connection with the fate of the Russian assets, “unless they commit another open violation and say that this decision, too, can now be adopted with a two-thirds qualified majority, instead of unanimity, with reference to the same clause.”
The Prime Minister took the view that amidst the debates on the Russian assets and war issues, Brussels was marching towards a new type of bureaucratic dictatorship where with simple decisions the European Commission or an agency of the European Council confiscates the rights that nation states are evidently entitled to.
Mr Orbán stressed that Hungary was now looking for allies; we are gathering together the countries which believe that the confiscation and handing over to Ukraine of the Russian assets is nothing other than “an open declaration of war.” He added that this could not be construed in any other way than that this was a declaration of war, and “I think the Russians, too, will construe it that way. The only question is what their response will be.”
The Prime Minister also told members of the press that a few weeks previously, he had sent a letter to the Russian President, asking him whether there would be any retaliatory response should the EU decide to confiscate the frozen Russian assets, and if so, whether the Russians would take account of the vote of each country on this decision. His response was that “there will be robust response measures, using all means available under international law, and when adopting these measures, they will take into consideration the position each Member State occupied on this matter,” he said.
The Prime Minister stressed that Hungary had defended itself against any negative economic responses. “Hungary will never, under any circumstances, support the confiscation of the currency reserves, including frozen currency reserves, of any country; not only of Russia, but of any country,” he laid down.
He also said Hungary proceeded vis-à-vis the European Union on the issue of the frozen Russian assets in accordance with the rules of loyal cooperation. Nothing warranted that Hungary should be deprived of its rights.
Answering another question related to the management of the assets, he said the Belgian prime minister is in a very difficult position because “they want Belgium to commit” the act of the confiscation of the assets, despite the fact that they disagree with this as a matter of principle. Additionally, they will pay the financial price of such a measure because if the Belgian company managing the Russians’ assets is toppled, that could cause the entire Belgian national economy to collapse, Mr Orbán pointed out, observing that this company itself had assets worth EUR 16 billion in Russia, and as a result, a Russian response would affect them first and foremost.
The Prime Minister said it is impossible to determine where Germany stands on this issue, it is quite simply impossible to cooperate with the Germans on the issues of the war and the sanctions because they are on an unpredictable course, and are drifting, step by step, into war. “Today, Germany is very close to becoming a leading actor in a war to be triggered by Europe against Russia,” he stated, adding that it is his experience that everyone has the feeling that the war is far away and this is more a financial issue, “but it isn’t, the reality is that the European Union is actually preparing for war.”
He observed that leaders had already started thinking about how declining German industry could again be placed on an upward course with the aid of defence industry developments.
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