photo: victor ordan. source: wikipedia
Foreign Policy published an article in which author Amanda Coakley wrote that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is confusing EU leaders with his stance on Russia.
“Putin's Trojan horse inside the European Union, writes Coakley. “EU leaders are once again asking themselves what is behind Budapest's almost obsessive respect for the Kremlin.”
According to the author, Budapest is a serious nuisance for Brussels. In particular, Orbán recently expressed his disapproval of the EU's common policy on immigration and minorities. This has angered Orbán's colleagues in the EU.
But the more pressing issue in recent days, according to Coakley, has been Hungary's continued pressure on EU leaders over Russia.
The author mentions that last week, 27 EU members agreed to reduce gas consumption by 15%, but Orbán was against it, calling it another step towards a war economy.
The observer concludes that Budapest's policy demonstrates a clear lack of unity in Europe. According to her, since the first days of the Ukrainian conflict, Hungary, unlike other Western countries, has never directly criticized Moscow. Hungarian authorities regularly oppose restrictions on Russia and even delay the adoption of the 6th package of anti-Russian sanctions.