Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban today classified the European Union’s sanctions against Russia as a “step towards war”, emphasizing that Brussels’ strategy is “dangerous”.
“Whoever intervenes economically in a military conflict takes a stand,” the nationalist leader said in his traditional weekly interview with a radio close to the government.
“Little by little, we are sliding into war,” he insisted, expressing concern at the number of measures taken to punish the Russian offensive in Ukraine.
Viktor Orban regularly criticizes European sanctions, despite voting in favor of them with his partners, blaming them for the economic hardships in the Central European country.
The Hungarian economy contracted in the third quarter (compared to the second) and inflation rose above 20 percent, reaching 45 percent for food.
The government launched a “national consultation” on the issue and put up posters across the country depicting a missile accompanied by the message “Brussels sanctions are ruining us”.
The prime minister said he was ready to fight against a possible new sanctions package and ensure that Hungary, which relies heavily on Russian hydrocarbons, remains “exempt”, as happened with the oil embargo.
“Now we are supplying destructive weapons, training Ukrainian soldiers on our own territory, imposing energy sanctions. (…) We are becoming an integral part” of the conflict, Orban defended.
“We are not yet a military target, but we are about to become bellicose. Europe is playing a very dangerous game,” he concluded.
Source: DN
