For Hungary, cooperation with the German government “is of prime importance”, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office said after talks with Wolfgang Schmidt, the Head of the Federal Chancellery, in Berlin on Friday.
Gergely Gulyás said that “despite its difficulties”, Germany was the strongest country in the European Union. Cooperation was vitally important also from the point of view of Hungary’s relations in the EU, he added.
Hungary strives to cooperate with the German government on the most important issues affecting the EU and “to reach an agreement wherever we can”, Gulyás said.
He added that since the change of government in Germany in 2021, he had held three meetings with the head of the chancellery.
Besides official talks, Gulyás held a speech at the commemoration of the 1956 uprising at the Hungarian Embassy in Berlin.
The event was attended by politicians and diplomats, including the ambassador of Israel Ron Prosor. Commenting on the recent attack by the Palestinian extremist Islamist organisation Hamas, he said Hungary maintained solidarity with the citizens of Israel affected by the “horrific terrorist attack” and supported Israel’s right to self defence. By exercising this right, “security guarantees” must be established to make sure that “such barbaric act can never happen again”, he said.
Hungary is a “faithful ally” that accepts and carries out the common decisions
Commenting on Russia’s attack against Ukraine, he said Hungary condemned Russian aggression and belived that Ukraine’s territorial integrity was untouchable but at the same time “we are convinced that a ceasefire and peace talks represent the best chances for Ukraine”.
Commenting on 1956, he said Hungary was the only member state in the EU where the prime minister was not only talking about the importance of freedom and democracy but had taken action already at the time of the Communist dictatorship towards fulfilling the demands of the 1956 revolution.
As a NATO and EU member, Hungary is a “faithful ally” that accepts and carries out the common decisions, but the “nation of 1956” resolutely represents its own opinions in decisionmaking processes and will make every effort to make its opinions accepted, he said.
Hungary has a vested interest in a strong Europe built on strong member states, he said. Unity only depends on the states of the continent and it also rests on Hungarian-German cooperation if Europe can be kept strong in a fast-changing world, he added.
We wrote HERE about what harsh anti-Hungary measures might follow Orbán’s block in Sweden’s NATO accession.
Meanwhile, last Thursday, a “momentous” assembly of NATO member nations convened in Budapest, marking a significant juncture in the realm of international diplomacy. The focal point of their discussions centered on the recent tête-à-tête between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-19/orban-s-putin-meeting-raises-security-worries-among-nato-allies?leadSource=uverify%20wall
According to Bloomberg, this high-stakes meeting raised concerns among Hungary’s NATO allies, who expressed profound reservations about Orbán’s engagement with the Russian leader, given the security implications. The conversations among the envoys of the alliance’s member nations reflected a growing discord within the military bloc concerning Budapest’s evolving rapport with Moscow.
This diplomatic gathering in Budapest underscored the intricate issues that have arisen following the Russian-Hungarian negotiations, highlighting a notable division among NATO member states. The consequential encounter between Vladimir Putin and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán occurred during the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, held only a few days ago.
A “faithful ally” does not grant large numbers of Russian spies diplomatic status and free access into the Schengen zone. A faithful ally does not obstruct Sweden’s entry into NATO nor obstruct military and financial aid into Ukraine needed to hold back the Russian invaders who threaten all of Europe. A faithful ally does not meet and shake hands with war criminal Vladimir Putin and promote friendly relations with him nor does he send his foreign minister for repeat trips to Belarus and Russia. Hungary most definitely is not a faithful ally.
I left out Hungary’s continuous obstruction of sanctions against Russia and insistence to purchase Russian oil and gas which help’s fund Russia’s war in Ukraine. Maybe Hungary is an ally – OF RUSSIA.