Hungary Blocks EU Declaration On Russia-Ukraine War But OKs Sweden’s NATO Entry
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Hungary blocked European Union member states from signing a declaration on the 2nd anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, just hours after the Hungarian prime minister okayed the entry of Sweden into the NATO military alliance.
Instead, the presidents of the EU’s executive European Commission, as well as the EU’s Council and Parliament, issued a statement of their own on Friday condemning “Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine.”
While reasons for Hungary’s objections weren’t immediately given, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Today marks a tragic anniversary: that of Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine in manifest violation of international law and the U.N. Charter,” the EU statement reads. “Two years of violence, brutality, terror, and destruction. We shall never forget the initial shock of the attack, the horror of the events in Borodianka, Bucha, Mariupol.”
Separately, the EU adopted new sanctions targeting hundreds of individuals and entities, the bloc’s 13th package of measures since Russia invaded Ukraine.
Despite Hungary’s reservations about the statement, as it does not want to upset Russia, it seemed close to giving the green light to expand NATO further.
Hungary’s nationalist government wanted Sweden to apologize for its criticism over the perceived lack of rule of law and press freedom in Hungary before it ratified Sweden’s membership.
NATO RULES
Under NATO guidelines, all 31 existing member states must approve the alliance’s expansion, and Hungary was the only one that didn’t ratify Sweden’s entry.
Yet Orbán confirmed an end to the monthslong tensions with Sweden, saying a visit by his Swedish counterpart helped rebuild trust.
The longtime, powerful Hungarian leader made clear the visit paved the way for the Hungarian Parliament to vote on Monday to ratify the Nordic nation’s membership in the alliance.
“We are ready to fight for each other, to give our lives for each other,” Orban said at a joint news conference in Budapest, the Hungarian capital, with the visiting Swedish leader, Ulf Kristersson.
They agreed to disagree on democratic values, focusing their talks instead on defense issues.
Sweden agreed to provide Hungary with four Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets in addition to the 14 its air force already uses as part of their cooperation within NATO.
The Nordic nation also pledged that Saab, the maker of the warplanes, will open an artificial intelligence research center in Hungary. Yet Sweden’s expected entry into the NATO military alliance comes amid concerns in Hungary that Russia will be triggered to take tougher actions against an enlarged alliance.
Budapest also pushes for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine to end a war that has killed and injured hundreds of thousands of people on both sides.
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