In mid February Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán made his annual address to the nation. In his speech he stated "Our foreign policy remains: we want to continue to make friends, not enemies"
As war intensifies in neighbouring Ukraine, his desire for peace will become increasingly difficult as his Nato allies will seek to pressure him into following them on the path to war. In his address, he himself stated that everyone in Nato and the European Union is on the side of war. He said - "How do we overcome the danger of war? We want to simply put an end to it, but we do not have the power to do so – we are not in that league. Therefore, if we want to protect Hungary, if we want a peaceful life for ourselves, we have only one choice: we must stay out of the Russo-Ukrainian war. So far this has not been easy, and it will not be easy in the future, because we are part of the Western world, we are members of NATO and the European Union, and everyone there is on the side of war – or at least acts as if they are. Can Hungary afford to remain on the side of peace in such circumstances, in a way that is directly opposed to that of our allies? Of course we can, because Hungary is an independent, free and sovereign state, and we recognise no one but God above us."
Their stance will most likely create further animosity and backlash from their supposed allies who have been drifting further and further from Hungary in their outlook and values. Indeed Hungary's recognition of "no one but God above us", has at times been the very root of the division between Hungary and the collective west who seem to live more in accordance with recognising everyone except God above us. The fruits of the western countries rejection of God grows more and more obvious on a daily basis and has been a major factor in the weakening of those states. In Putin's recent address to Russia, it has become clear that they are all too aware of that reality too. Towards the end of the address Hungary's president spoke of the possible backlash from western leaders when he stated - "We need to honestly face the fact that the war is getting wilder and more brutal, and so we had better be prepared for the tone used against us to get harsher and more abusive: provocations, insults, threats and blackmail. I cannot promise that it will be easy, but I can promise that we shall stand our ground. "
Earlier in his speech, Viktor Orbán spoke of the morality of staying out of the conflict - "But is it right – morally right – for us to stay out of the war? I am convinced that it is the right thing – and indeed the only right thing. Russia has attacked Ukraine, so we must let Ukrainian refugees into our country, and we have done well in supporting them with the largest humanitarian aid operation in our country’s history. This is the imperative of basic humanity, and we are complying with it. But we also see that the war in Ukraine is not a war between the armies of good and evil, but a war between the troops of two Slavic countries: a war limited in time and – for the time being – in space. It is their war, not ours.Hungary recognises Ukraine’s right to self defence, to fight against external aggression; but it would not be right from any point of view – including any moral point of view – to put the interests of Ukraine before those of Hungary. The Left in Hungary is also on the side of war: it would supply arms, take on the financial burden of war and sever relations with Russia. We are not doing this. We are not supplying arms. We are also being careful with money, because in the end the money due to us will be given by Brussels to Ukraine. For us, humanitarian support for Ukraine does not mean severing our ties with Russia, because that would run counter to our national interests, which we have the right to define for ourselves."
In the rest of his speech he goes on to outline the need for level headed discussion that can lead to peace and he warns about the war spreading to Europe. He spoke of how Europe are already indirectly at war with Russia - Viktor Orbán " Europe is drifting towards war. It is balancing on a narrow plank. Indeed its countries are already indirectly at war with Russia. If you supply weapons, if you provide the satellite information for military action, if you train the soldiers of one of the belligerents, if you finance the entire state apparatus of one of the belligerents and impose sanctions on the other, then, no matter what you say, you are at war – indirectly for the time being. The risk of being drawn in is now chronic."
He finalised his comments on the war by stating - "We have no illusions, we are not naive, and neither are we the flower children of ‘68 or dreaming pacifists. We know that the negotiations will not be between the Ukrainians and the Russians: peace will come when the Americans and the Russians negotiate with each other. That will inevitably happen, but the later it happens, the higher the price we will all pay. War enthusiasts believe that time is on the side of the Ukrainians and the West, so the fight must go on: it will change the balance of power, there will be victory over Russia, and victory will bring peace. The Hungarian government, however, believes that continued fighting will not bring victory and will not bring peace, but the deaths of hundreds of thousands more people, a widening conflict, countries engaged in open warfare, years of war, destruction, suffering and the threat of world war. So let us Hungarians stand by peace, but let the Defence Minister keep his powder dry. That is all I have to say about the war."
The full text of the speech can be read here on Visegrad - Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s “State of the Nation” address, February 2023 | Visegrád Post (visegradpost.com)
Proverbs 16 : 6 By mercy and truth iniquity is redeemed: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil. 7 When the ways of man shall please the Lord, he will convert even his enemies to peace.
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