Hungary, a member of the EU and NATO, has called on European countries to travel to Moscow to sign a security agreement with Russia amid rising tensions between the two sides.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on September 7 that European Union leaders should go to Moscow and sign a security agreement with Russia that stipulates that Ukraine will not become a member of the EU and NATO.
“In fact, Europe needs to go to Moscow and sign a security agreement between the EU and Russia, not in Washington. Not only about Ukraine, but also about security between the EU and Russia. Obviously, that would include Ukraine not becoming a member of NATO or the EU, but it could also include an agreement on strategic cooperation between Ukraine and the EU. And I think Hungary could support this,” Orban said.
According to Orban, Ukraine joining the EU could put the bloc in conflict with Russia and affect Europe’s economy. He stressed that an agreement on strategic cooperation between the EU and Ukraine could be a compromise option that Budapest would not oppose.
Hungary is a member of the EU and NATO but is heavily dependent on energy supplies from Russia. During more than two years of fighting, Hungary has maintained a relatively neutral stance towards both Russia and Ukraine and has repeatedly called for negotiations.
Budapest has long opposed Western policy regarding the Ukraine conflict, including arms supplies and sanctions against Russia. The Hungarian government has also repeatedly called for Ukraine not to join either NATO or the EU.
Hungary has also repeatedly disagreed with the EU on its approach to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the EU’s sanctions policy against Moscow. It has often vetoed specific EU proposals if they seriously harm its national interests.
This has made it difficult for the EU to agree on new sanctions against Russia.
Last month, Prime Minister Orban said the Russia-Ukraine conflict could only end if the West and Kiev accepted that Ukraine could not join NATO.
“Peace will only come when both Europe and Ukraine accept the fact that Russia will never allow NATO to establish a military presence on its western border, in Ukraine,” Mr Orban said.