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By the Prime Minister’s account, as regards the war in Ukraine, the EU consists of two groups: “there are the others and then there is us.” Hungary announced at the very beginning that we do not want to take part in the war efforts, while the other countries of the EU are involved in the war, he observed. They are not involved in a direct clash with Russia because there is Ukraine between the two of them, and so the Ukrainians are doing the fighting on the frontline and the Ukrainians are dying there. But in actual fact, the EU behaves like a warring party, he highlighted, adding that Hungary made it clear at the beginning that this is a flawed strategy, this war cannot be won, and instead we need talks.
He added that we must try to end the war as soon as possible in order to minimise the number of casualties and to minimise Ukraine’s territorial losses, and also so that we Hungarians and the European people in general can return to a life of peace. So that we should not have to send billions of dollars and euros to the war and to burn it there, so that we should not have to impose sanctions, so that we should not destroy European trade and the European energy system, so that we should not create a situation where energy prices increase, generating sky-high inflation, and so that we should not create a situation where in the European economy the price of gas is four to five times higher than in America, Mr Orbán stated the Hungarian position, adding that “we also said that this would end in a defeat.”
He said now the other 26 countries of the EU heard – in a state of shock – President Zelensky’s speech about the fact that he has a victory plan. “But what did he have before?” he asked. “That which existed so far as a plan turned out to be a plan of defeat; now, from this they want to switch to a plan of victory,” Mr Orbán said, stressing that we are not taking part in this, we wish that the Ukrainians may prove to be right, but with this victory plan you cannot win, you can only lose.
In response to press reports about Ukrainian plans for the development of a nuclear bomb, Mr Orbán said what he heard from President Zelensky in person did not give him the impression that the Ukrainians seriously considered turning themselves into a nuclear power. “But the very possibility is terrifying,” he observed, adding that it clearly indicates the gravity of the situation that a Ukrainian plan which may not even exist can generate waves of panic among members of the European public. Everyone feels that we are so close to the possibility of a war breaking out in the whole of Europe that this situation serves as fertile soil for even such items of half-information. “Our services are working hard to clarify whether Ukraine does indeed have a plan for building nuclear weapons,” he said.
He also spoke about the fact that the European People’s Party (EPP) envisages a Europe which is bad for the Hungarians, adding that Brussels wants to see a government sent here as a lieutenant or proxy of its own choice instead of the incumbent government.
Regarding the EPP’s poster urging Mr Orbán’s departure, the Prime Minister said one reason for it may be the Hungarian position related to the war as he suggested that the German chancellor and the French president should start talks – “whether on their own behalf or on behalf of Europe” – with the Russians “before the Americans emerge on the scene.” He added that the European People’s Party had progressed to the next level in the latest debate in the European Parliament where “they announced their own demands” for the departure of his cabinet, so that a new government belonging to their own party family “should pursue a policy which meets with Brussels’ approval, meaning that they should let migrants in, should enter the war, should accept gender ideology and should do away with the child protection system in Hungary.”
Additionally, they “also have a bunch of economic demands, such as that we shouldn’t tax their multinational companies, and should leave their banks alone,” Mr Orbán said, adding that the Hungarians will decide in the next elections due to be held in a year and a half who should lead the country. Until then, instead of campaigning, they must work hard, and “make our policies that are different from those of Brussels successful both in the economy and in foreign policy” because “like hell the Germans would tell us how it should be in Hungary.”
Mr Orbán stressed that since the beginning of the war, positions had changed in favour of Russia and to the detriment of Ukraine. “So, it’s a good idea to negotiate from a position of strength, but the problem is that we’re weak. And now, the victory plan is about how we will become strong. However, right now we’re losing the war.” All the other countries of the European Union have a war strategy, while Hungary has a strategy of peace, the Prime Minister stated, stressing that “the best idea is to conclude a peace deal, or to conclude a ceasefire at least, and to try to settle the conflict with the least possible loss and the best possible prospects for the future.”
There are problems in the European Union, and the problems to which Hungary gives different answers are presenting the greatest challenges, said Mr Orbán, mentioning the issues of migration, the reduction of household utility charges and the war as examples. He took the view that Hungary as a country of ten million “should not be an item,” our gross domestic product is not the highest in the European Union, we do not have the largest army, we do not have the greatest influence, “meaning that they could just as well leave us in peace.” He added that the problem was that “what we’re doing in Hungary is more or less what the European people would like to see at home as well and that their own governments are doing the very opposite of that.”
Mr Orbán was of the opinion that today everyone in Europe is against migration, “no normal person” other than governments supports migration, and “they would give their eye teeth” for the situation regarding migration to be the same as here in Hungary. In Hungary “there is no migration crisis because we’re not letting migrants in; meanwhile they keep banging their heads against the wall, saying ‘how could we be so foolish as to let migrants in in the millions’ and now they don’t know what to do with them, and they keep coming, coming and coming,” he said.
In his view, the situation is similar in the case of household utility charges as well where people in Europe ask the question: how come that in Hungary which is by far not the richest country in the European Union families pay the least for electricity and gas. He indicated that at the same time, regarding the Russo-Ukrainian war, the European people ask why it is that their governments are “involved in the war up to their necks,” while Hungary is on the side of peace like the majority of European people.
Hungary is a model in the European people’s eyes, in contrast to their own governments, “a thorn in their side, a splinter which “lands European governments in a difficult situation,” he stated, observing that he keeps trying to reduce the significance of this, “to walk by unnoticed” and not to provoke so that “they leave us alone,” but European leaders sense the challenge that this is not just about Hungary, but about the fact that European policies, including economic policy, military policy, energy policy and migration policy, could be pursued differently.
The biggest problem with us is that we are successful, he concluded, mentioning economic growth and the issue of migration as examples. According to the Prime Minister, as a result, Hungary – through no will of its own – is posing a challenge to EU countries pursuing flawed policies, but this has also enhanced its reputation. Mr Orbán mentioned that last week he met with the German chancellor, while next week he will be received by the president of France. “Quite evidently, the fact that we’re doing things differently and this is successful enhances the reputation of Hungary in the realm of foreign policy,” he said.
I believe that our influence is greater than would be warranted by the country’s size and its actual economic or military strength,
the Prime Minister said.
Mr Orbán attaches much importance to the national consultation because, in his view, it should constitute the very foundations of the new economic policy. The Prime Minister said next year “we will set out;” the twenty-one-point economic action plan which will give the Hungarian economy a big boost is now being finalised. “Many will be surprised” when the economy’s figures for the first quarter of 2025 are released.
He added that while the world is changing, Europe is stagnating, instead of trying to adapt. Europe is unable to or does not feel like it. Compared with that, Hungary will take off like a rocket because with swift adaptation, launching and reinforcing this policy of economic neutrality, we will be able to overtake others in this race, provided that the people, too, confirm this through the national consultation, Mr Orbán said.
The Prime Minister pointed out that a new economic policy necessarily involved difficulties, it was hard to gather momentum, there was much work to be done and it also involved some risks. Therefore, we should only embark on it if the people support it and accept that Hungary should pursue an economic policy of its own.
Regarding the government’s economic policy plans, he stressed that if there is war, the plans will remain in the drawer, given that this is not the kind of economic policy that is required in times of war. In continuation he said they pray and root for Donald Trump in the upcoming US elections, and added that he has faith in that we can avoid becoming involved in the war. “We just hope and pray that there won’t be any more victory plans,” he said.
In the context of the other underlying issue of the new economic policy, the Prime Minister said we must under any circumstances protect the country against migration and must preserve Hungary as a migrant-free zone. In his view, beyond bringing with it a threat of terrorism and increased crime rates and fomenting tensions, migration also absorbs an enormous amount of money. Now, Hungary has been handed down a fine because we are not letting migrants in. However, this fine is much less than the financial burden we would bear in consequence of letting migrants in, he explained.
Among the government’s plans, he mentioned pay rises, making housing cheaper for young people, helping families by doubling the tax benefit available in relation to children and the Demján Sándor plan seeking to promote small and medium-sized businesses. Next year, this new economic policy will bring about spectacular results also in everyday life, provided that it is confirmed in the national consultation, he stated in summary.
He said Europe’s competitiveness has declined due to the events of the past ten or so years, while the competitiveness of America and China has improved. Europe is responding to this situation by isolating itself, by developing a bloc, by introducing protective tariffs, fundamentally “by adopting a hedgehog position.” The Prime Minister believes that this is a flawed position, and underlined that the essence of Hungarian politics lay in connectivity, in economic neutrality, “we must trade with everyone, we must compete with everyone, we must take part in every international company that is competitive, we must cooperate so that Hungary should also have a share of the large economic profits generated around the world.”
