Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban launched a new, poignant attack on the majority of EU leaders over plans to counter Russia’s invasion, as discussed at the EU summit in Copenhagen on Wednesday.
Upon arriving at the European political community gathering in Copenhagen on Thursday, Orban announced at an unofficial EU summit on Wednesday that he had presented a war strategy on how to beat the Russians he labelled as “terrifying.”
He mentioned the EU leader’s decision to strengthen the development of drones and anti-drone technology and give “wide support” to the proposal to use fixed Russian assets to lend to Ukraine.
“The leader was widely supportive of early priority flagship projects that would enhance Europe’s security, such as the European drone wall and the Eastern Frank watch,” Council of Europe President Antonio Costa told reporters at the end of an informal gathering in the Danish capital.
According to Orban, this direction is harmful to Hungary and the European Union as a whole. The Prime Minister has announced that he will launch a petition for what the government calls “EU war plans.”
“The pressure is high, so I would suggest to President Fides that we launch a signature campaign in Hungary against the EU’s war plan, because we need all our strength to avoid this war,” Oban said.
Orban says “The Costa Plan is dead.”
The Hungarian Prime Minister also discussed how he rejected the idea at the summit to amend the EU’s expanded rules to promote Ukraine’s accession conference.
The so-called Costa Plan proposed to lift the unanimity necessary for the establishment of each negotiation chapter.
According to Orbán, unanimity is required to change the rules, and Hungary refuses Ukraine’s entry into the EU.
“I told them, I don’t agree, so this plan is dead,” Oban said.
The Hungarian Prime Minister also reiterated his position that Ukraine should get a strategic partnership with the EU, instead of full membership in the EU. Full membership means, in his view, “war will enter the European Union.”
Orban has been opposed to Ukraine membership and financial support for Ukraine for years, blocking many support decisions in Brussels, tolerating EU pressures and agreeing to multiple EU sanctions packages against Russia.
The Hungarian government launched an anti-Ukraine campaign earlier this year, featuring a sign depicting Voldimir Zelensky along with opposition leader Peter Magiar.
The government has also launched a poll on Ukraine’s EU bids. According to the government, 95% of respondents were opposed to Ukraine, which joins the bloc of 27 people.
Budapest mayor calls Orban’s anti-Uraine campaign in Hungary “shameful”
Meanwhile, Budapest’s Green Party mayor and Orban’s top enemy Gergely Karácsony told the Euroneuz on Wednesday that Ukraine’s EU membership was Hungary’s clear national interest.
Kalaksony said the government’s propaganda opposed Ukraine and its EU ambitions because “they used up their imaginary enemies.”
Even if reconstruction requires a huge amount of money from the EU budget, supporting Ukraine’s entry into the EU will be in Hungary’s national interest, the mayor told Euroneuz.
“Transcarpathians are unanimous in their demand that the Hungarian government should support Ukraine’s EU membership,” Kalaksony said.
“This is a great opportunity for the European economy, as the EU can expand with large markets and member states representing excellent resources.”
“But unfortunately, we’re not there yet. Obviously, we have to reach the end of the war, a ceasefire,” he pointed out.
“And while European Union membership is not tomorrow, I believe Hungary’s support for Ukraine’s entry is in our top national interest. There is no argument for that,” concluded Kalaksony.
