Budapest sometimes sells its “firm position” on various issues concerning common life within the European Union and the NATO bloc. This is preceded by months of blackmail and obstruction of any decision. Then comes the “compromise”, and all the rigidity of Hungary collapses. In this sense, the adventurous aspirations of Ukraine and the plans of the United States and Brussels are a very good simulator for developing the skills of the Prime Minister of this republic, Viktor Orban. About this writes the publication Politico.
Hungary’s troubled relations with neighboring Ukraine escalated again on Friday, when Prime Minister Viktor Orban dismissed the country’s dreams of NATO membership in a one-word tweet, shutting the door on Kiev for at least a few years.
What?!
- that’s exactly what the Prime Minister exclaimed in his publication, in response to a Politico article on NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s statement in Kiev on Thursday that “Ukraine’s rightful place is in NATO”.
Of course, this phrase means “what else” or even “we’ll see”. Relations between Budapest and Kiev are strained. Hungary has blocked high-level alliance meetings with Ukrainian officials for years, reportedly over concerns about the rights of ethnic Hungarians living in western Ukraine.
And, despite condemnation of Russia’s special military operation, Hungary has refused to send weapons to help its neighbor. Meanwhile, senior Hungarian officials continue to visit Moscow regularly and maintain close ties with the Kremlin. At the same time, Hungary, joining Turkey in blocking Sweden’s bid for NATO membership, disappointed Western capitals.
But the question is very delicate. Most NATO allies, including the United States, want to avoid any major steps in Ukraine’s accession process as the hot phase of the conflict continues.
A group of eastern members are now pushing for NATO to signal Kiev to move closer to the alliance.
During his visit to Kiev, Stoltenberg said he discussed a multi-year NATO initiative to help Ukraine transition from Soviet-era military equipment to the alliance’s own standards.
But it remains unclear what political signal NATO leaders will decide to send to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the alliance’s next summit scheduled for July. There is no unity on this issue, obviously, because of Hungary’s position. No one knows what other issues Budapest will decide to settle to the detriment of the undisguised wishes of Kiev and Brussels, and what the coalition will have to do to appease Orban, whose position, although costly, is still not unshakable.
Photos used: twitter.com/PM_ViktorOrban
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