Valeriy Méhes was only 19 years old and graduated from the Military Lyceum Of Mukachevo (Munkács) in 2019.Continue reading
The Ukrainian ambassador to Hungary, Lyubov Nepop, slammed the Hungarian government for its attitude to the war in Ukraine. “You’ll only have strategic calm in the grave,” she said in reference to PM Orbán, who had previously argued that “in a war situation we need strategic calm.” She also drew a parallel between the Hungarian Revolution in 1956 and the ongoing events, and doubts that Vladimir Putin would stop with Ukraine’s invasion, if the Russians win.
Nepop appeared at the conference of liberal-leaning think-tank Political Capital, held last Friday.
“The West is doing a lot, but not enough. Russians could be stopped, but now people are stopping tanks in Ukraine without weapons. In the occupied cities they are singing our anthem down in the squares. We need more help!”, she said.
She also argued that the West was very late with introducing the sanctions, despite the fact that the Ukrainian government had asked for Russia to be sanctioned before the outbreak of the war, in order to prevent this worst-case scenario.
“It took a lot of people to die to get them to act. But there is still more to do. How many more people have to die to make a move?”, she asked. She might have been referring to, among other things, the cancellation of energy deals, as she continued by asking: “Do you put cutting the utility bills before human lives?,” to then specifically mentioning the Hungarian government.
She also criticized the government’s politicians for only caring about reducing utility bills when human lives are at stake in the neighborhood.
The anniversary of the 1848 revolution coming and they are talking about cutting utility bills? Aren’t you ashamed of yourselves? Isn’t human life important? Do those for whom cutting utility bills are more important than freedom have the right to celebrate March 15th? Please, only those who have the courage to stand up for freedom take to the streets this year to celebrate!”
She also argued that greater support from the West, and from the Hungarian government too, is also crucial, because if Putin defeats Ukraine, he will go on because he wants to restore the Soviet sphere of influence.
You will be next, Putin won’t stop!”
In addition, she also drew the parallel between the Hungarian revolution in 1956 and the ongoing events, recalling that it is a major offense for Hungary not having received any Western help against the Soviets back in 1956. Therefore, she called on Hungarians “not to side with the wrong side,” i.e. Russia, now that Ukrainians are in a similar situation.
She also said that Hungarians in Transcarpathia were also fighting the Russians, so “they should be part of the victories too, as this is also the war of the Hungarian nation against the aggressor.”
The ambassador didn’t forget to thank the government and Hungarian civil society for helping the refugees. She was also grateful for the Hungarian government’s support in the implementation of the EU sanctions and other decisions in international organizations, as well as the Hungarian state’s aid bound for Transcarpathia.
Moreover, she urged Hungarians not to purchase Russia’s products and to boycott Russian companies.
featured image via Tibor Rosta/MTI