Prime Minister Viktor Orban warned on Monday that Hungary should get ready for a protracted conflict in the neighbouring Ukraine and harshly criticised the European Union’s sanctions against Moscow for having ‘backfired’ by increasing energy costs.
Long at odds with the EU over some of his policies that were seen anti-democratic in Brussels, Orban advocated a ceasefire to put an end to the conflict and said that the sanctions against Russia were hurting Europe’s economy.
After being reelected in April for a fourth time in a row, Orban now has to contend with rising inflation, declining consumer confidence, and the possibility of a recession in 2019.
In reference to the Italian election on Sunday, which appears to have resulted in Giorgia Meloni being the country’s most right-wing leader since World War Two, he told parliament that it was not surprising that governments were crumbling across Europe.
While Russia has not been brought to its knees by the sanctions, it is safe to conclude that Europeans have become poorer as a result, according to Orban. With the sanctions, Europe ‘shot itself in the foot’ and this weapon backfired, he stated.
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