"We condemn the Russian military aggression on the territory of Ukraine. Of course, there are a number of technical questions as to how Hungary can maintain its security," said the Fidesz politician.Continue reading
Governing Fidesz lawmaker Zsolt Németh categorically denies accusations he deems ‘ridiculous’ that Hungary had previously agreed with Russia on partitioning Ukraine. In recent days, former Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski and Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk have both accused Budapest of trying to lay its hands on Ukraine’s largely Hungarian-populated Transcarpathian region.
On Tuesday, former Polish Foreign Minister and current EPP MEP Radosław Sikorski, suggested in a tweet that Viktor Orbán and Vladimir Putin had reached an agreement on the partition of Ukraine.
Zakładam, że Orban jest dogadany z Putinem na rozbiór Ukrainy.
Niech nas ręka boska broni przed Zaolziem 2.0! https://t.co/apEBJsFOp3— Radosław Sikorski MEP 🇵🇱🇪🇺 (@sikorskiradek) March 22, 2022
The Polish politician made the comment in reaction to news according to which the leader of the military administration in Transcarpathia warned about a disinformation campaign launched by Russia. According to these false rumors, Transcarpathia’s ethnic minorities are trying to break away from Ukraine.
Radosław Sikorski was not the only one in recent days to accuse Hungary of trying to acquire Transcarpathia.
Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk voiced sharp criticism towards the Orbán government on social media on Tuesday. In her Facebook post, she complained, among other things, about Hungary not providing weapons to Ukraine and that the Hungarian government’s rhetoric is hardly any different from an openly pro-Russian position.
“The way the Hungarian leadership has been treating Ukraine lately is even worse than some of the Russian satellite states of the former Soviet Union. Hungary does not support the sanctions. They don’t provide weapons. They don’t allow transit of weapon supplies from other countries. They say ‘no’ to virtually everything,” the deputy PM said. (This is a false accusation on the Ukrainian Deputy PM’s part. In fact, the Hungarian government has supported many sanctions against Russia. The Orbán government has also supported weapons transport through the country if the shipment is not directly transferred to Ukraine through the Hungarian-Ukrainian border.)
“There is very little to distinguish the official rhetoric of Budapest from an openly pro-Russian position. Why? Is it because they want to get Russian gas at a reduced price? Or maybe is it because they silently dream of our Transcarpathia?”, said Vereshchuk, who believes that Hungary should now take the side of the “good and civilized” in this “clash of civilizations,” unlike in World War II.
“Mr. Radosław Sikorski probably drank too much vodka,” said Fidesz MP Zsolt Németh, in reaction to the tweet by the former Polish foreign minister.
Németh, who is also the chairman of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, added that “the presumption that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán would have agreed with Vladimir Putin on the partition of Ukraine is ridiculous and without any basis,” and that “Hungary’s regional policy is centered around Central European cooperation.” He also told Sikorski to “at least drink Polish vodka, instead of Russian ones.”
Feautred photo by Tamás Kovács/MTI
