Ever since the February 24 invasion of Ukraine, Orban has tried to act with a sort of neutrality by respecting part of the EU’s common policy, but at the same time maintaining good relations with Russia. Hungary has not sent military equipment to Ukraine and opposes an 18 billion euro aid package.
Hungary’s government has not halted sanctions against Russia, but only after the country won major exemptions. But Orban is clear in his criticisms of sweeping EU sanctions and believes the bloc itself is responsible for soaring energy prices and skyrocketing inflation.
– It’s like a step towards war, if someone intervenes financially in a military conflict. Choosing a side can quickly be perceived as a hostile act, Orban said in a radio interview on Friday.
He added that the EU is putting itself in danger by supplying Ukraine with destructive weapons, training Ukrainian soldiers with its own iodine and imposing sanctions on the energy sector.
Hungary recorded annual inflation of 21.6% in October, the highest level since 1996 and the third highest in the EU. For food products alone, the price increase was as much as 45%. The country is living on the brink of recession, with a gross domestic product that contracted by 0.4 percentage points in the third quarter.
The EU is withholding over €14 billion in aid to Hungary due to dissatisfaction with its handling of corruption suspicions and undermining rule of law principles.
