When Hungary’s EU Council Presidency began on July 1, diplomatic fatigue was already in the air across Europe.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was ignored for important initiatives and agreements, especially on support for Ukraine. His continued veto policy relegated Hungary to the diplomatic sidelines.
However, six months later, it can be said that Mr. Orbán has made the most of the rotating presidential system.
Mr. Orbán’s controversial statements, appearances and initiatives have caused the greatest outrage. His incitement against the “Brussels bureaucracy” reached unprecedented levels, culminating in his infamous assertion just days before the end of his presidential term.
On December 21, Prime Minister Orbán strongly criticized the EU’s immigration policy at the annual year-end international press conference, saying, “Brussels wants to turn Hungary into Magdeburg,” referring to the Christmas market attack the day before.
Prime Minister Orbán’s ‘peace mission’ completed without EU, NATO
The country holding the EU Council Presidency is expected to promote good and harmonious cooperation between EU member states and EU institutions. There is a need to ensure continuity of the EU agenda and promote EU legislation.
They can set their priorities, but they must not pursue their own interests, but instead act in the interests of the community of EU member states. At least that’s how it’s outlined on paper.
Although Hungary had developed priorities for the Council presidency, including strengthening the EU’s competitiveness, a stronger enlargement policy in the Western Balkans, and curbing illegal immigration, Mr. He took advantage of the position of chairman of the board of directors.
Shortly after the start of his term, he launched a chaotic diplomatic effort to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, which he called the “Slavic fratricidal war.”
Four days after taking office, he traveled to Moscow on a “peace mission” and visited Russian President Vladimir Putin without coordination with the EU or NATO.
Three days earlier, he had made his first bilateral visit to Kiev. No one there knew about Mr. Orbán’s plans to visit Russia.
The blame for the Ukraine war lies with the “warmongering West”
The Moscow visit caused an uproar as Hungary has little international diplomatic influence. Furthermore, Budapest is not an acceptable intermediary, at least for Ukraine, due to its anti-Ukrainian and pro-Russian stance.
Even within NATO, Hungary is no longer considered a reliable partner due to its pro-Russian stance.
Nevertheless, Prime Minister Orbán has so far continued his “mission of peace” undaunted.
Just a few days ago, after a telephone conversation with President Putin, he proposed a “Christmas truce” and a large-scale prisoner exchange. The meeting between Mr. Orbán and Mr. Putin included a denunciation of the “warmongering Western powers” who, according to Mr. Orbán, are the real culprits in Russia’s war.
But at the same time, he has repeatedly praised former President Donald Trump and the next U.S. president as “men of peace” and “the only people on earth” who can end the war in Ukraine.
Mega: “Make Europe great again”
The Hungarian Prime Minister also launched a second major project shortly after assuming the role of EU Council President. The name “Make Europe Great Again” reflects President Trump’s call to “Make America Great Again” (MAGA).
This includes the establishment of the right-wing nationalist and populist group Patriots for Europe in the European Parliament, which has become the third largest group in the European Parliament since the June EU elections. .
Its membership includes some of Europe’s most important right-wing populists, including Prime Minister Orban’s Fidesz, the French National Rally, the Dutch Freedom Party, and Austria’s FPÖ. These global nationalists espouse anti-immigrant and sovereignist positions.
Orbán himself has spoken of the need to “conquer Brussels” to save Europe from decline and decline. But in reality, Prime Minister Orbán seems increasingly less interested in any kind of unified Europe.
Criticism of “economic bloc formation”
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been promoting the concept of Hungary’s “economic neutrality policy” for the past few months. This move is not just a continuation of Hungary’s existing economic “Open East” policy.
Prime Minister Orbán has criticized the EU’s “economic bloc formation” and believes that Europe cannot survive global competition in its current form. He sees Asia and the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) as future geopolitical centers and believes that the economically strongest countries will set the rules.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has always criticized the West on moral and ideological grounds, saying that as a small country Hungary should maintain good and non-ideological relations with the world’s power and economic centers, especially China and Russia. claims.
Hungary will hand over the presidency of the EU Council to Poland at the end of 2024.
The country was a close political ally until voters decided to end the rule of the nationalist right-wing government in the fall of 2023. Currently, bilateral relations are currently at an all-time low.
The fact that Hungary and Poland are now worlds apart was evident even at Christmas.
In a Christmas interview with pro-government newspaper Magyar Nemzet, Prime Minister Orbán described Russian President Vladimir Putin as “our right partner.”
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was appalled and posted a warning about Russia’s aggressive behavior on X (formerly Twitter). On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Russia bombed residential buildings in Kryvyy Rief, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and energy facilities across Ukraine with dozens of missiles and drones.
This article was originally written in German.
