European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in an unusually harsh speech at a debate with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in the European Parliament on Wednesday, the 9th of October, that Hungary was endangering European security by strengthening ties with Russia and China while resisting efforts to support Ukraine against the Russian invasion, reports Reuters.
“The world has witnessed Russia’s war atrocities. And yet there are still some who blame this war not on the invaders but on the invaded,” said von der Leyen, a centre-right German politician and former defence minister.
“There are still people who blame this war not on Putin’s thirst for power, but on Ukraine’s thirst for freedom.
So I would like to ask them, would they in 1956 blame the Hungarians for the invasion of the Soviet Union?” she said.
In response, Orbán said he was “surprised” by von der Leyen’s speech and rejected any parallels between Hungary’s failed 1956 uprising against Soviet oppression and Ukraine’s struggle to defend its territory and reiterated his call for a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, in power since 2010, has been criticised by the European Union (EU) for undermining democratic norms and promoting close relations with Russia and China. His recent “peace mission” to Moscow and Beijing during Hungary’s presidency of the EU also caused controversy.
Von der Leyen also addressed other problems with the Hungarian Prime Minister, condemning Hungary’s visa programme for Russians and Belarusians, as well as the agreement allowing Chinese police to patrol Hungary with their Hungarian counterparts.
“How can it be that the Hungarian government invites Russian nationals into our union without additional security checks? This makes the new Hungarian visa scheme a security risk not only for Hungary but for all Member States,” she said.
“How can it be that the Hungarian government would allow Chinese police to operate within its territory? This is not a defence of European sovereignty, but a back door to foreign influence,” von der Leyen added.
She also pointed to Hungary’s continued reliance on Russian energy resources after many of the EU-27 reduced their reliance in response to the Russian invasion.
“One Member State is simply looking for alternative ways to buy fossil fuels from Russia. Russia has repeatedly shown that it is not a reliable supplier. No more excuses. Whoever wants European energy security must, first and foremost, play a part in ensuring it,” she said.