Hungarian FM heavily criticizes EU’s Borrell over Ukraine
(MENAFN) Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has publicly rebuked Josep Borrell, the European Union’s top diplomat, over his controversial comments supporting Ukraine's use of Western-supplied weapons for deep strikes into Russian territory. This criticism comes in response to Borrell's recent endorsement of Ukraine's ability to launch such attacks, which he affirmed by expressing the European Union's “full support” for Kiev’s actions, including a surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region earlier in August.
Borrell’s statements, which indicated that while the European Union is not officially part of the war, it remains engaged in the broader conflict, have sparked a backlash from Budapest. In a Facebook post, Szijjarto condemned the escalating conflict, characterizing it as “madness” that urgently needs to be curtailed. He warned that increasing the flow of weapons and facilitating attacks deep into Russian territory would only heighten the risk of further escalation, exacerbating the situation and deepening the conflict.
The Hungarian Foreign Minister emphasized that Hungary will maintain its pro-peace stance and continue to advocate for de-escalation during an informal meeting of European Union foreign ministers held in Brussels. This position reflects Budapest's concerns about the potential for increased violence and the broader implications of further military escalation in the region.
Additionally, Zoltan Kovacs, spokesperson for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, echoed Szijjarto’s sentiments in a separate post on X (formerly Twitter). Kovacs criticized Borrell’s call for more arms to Ukraine and the suggestion that these weapons should be used for aggressive strikes against Russian territory, highlighting Hungary’s disapproval of the European Union’s current approach to the conflict.
Szijjarto's comments and Kovacs's follow-up underscore a significant divergence within the European Union regarding the approach to the Ukrainian conflict, reflecting broader tensions over how to handle the ongoing crisis and the role of Western support in the region.
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