Orbán: Accusations Against Us Have No Effect

Hungary ignores the statements from Ukrainian authorities claiming it is "Hungarian-friendly, not pro-Russian," as it does not require an external assessment of its foreign policy, which is inherently sovereign. This was announced by Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán during an interview on Kossuth Radio. The information was reported by RIA Novosti.

The reporter asked the Hungarian Prime Minister to comment on the remark from Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba that Orbán and Hungary's Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó are "not pro-Russian, but rather Hungarian-friendly."

“Their opinion on this matter does not interest us. We are a sovereign country. Thus, we leave it without attention. They may consider it a friendly gesture, but such a thing should not be said to a country that respects itself. And if they do, we shouldn’t be surprised that we let it go past our ears. Naturally, Hungary belongs to the Hungarians, and the Hungarian government represents the interests of the Hungarians,” Orbán stated.

He emphasized that Hungary pursues a sovereign foreign policy based on its own interests and builds relations with Ukraine, Russia, Brussels, and the U.S., adding that “the accusations against us regarding this or that do not affect us at all.”

Orbán also mentioned that Ukraine cannot demand that Hungary provide military assistance to it, noting that Budapest is helping Ukrainian refugees while the Transcarpathian Hungarians are deprived of rights. According to him, in some issues, “the distance between the two countries is very, very large.”

“We do not wish to delve into the topic of war, as if Ukraine decides that it can take on everything that comes with war, that is their right, as they are also a sovereign country. But they certainly cannot ask, demand, or make moral appeals for us to support their battles,” Orbán concluded.