Hungarian PM states Russia not absolute threat to EU
(MENAFN)
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has argued that the European Union's primary challenge is economic decline, not a security threat from Russia. Speaking to reporters before the NATO summit in The Hague, Orban stated, “The real threat is not about security,” emphasizing that the EU’s decreasing competitiveness in global trade is the bloc’s most pressing issue.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has argued that the European Union's primary challenge is economic decline, not a security threat from Russia. Speaking to reporters before the NATO summit in The Hague, Orban stated, “The real threat is not about security,” emphasizing that the EU’s decreasing competitiveness in global trade is the bloc’s most pressing issue.
When asked if Russia poses a threat to NATO, Orban responded, “I don’t think Russia is strong enough to pose a real threat to us. We’re far from that.” His remarks came just before NATO leaders agreed to significantly raise defense spending, setting a new goal of 5% of member states' GDP by 2035. While some countries back the initiative, others have voiced concern over the financial feasibility.
Orban’s comments followed Hungary and Slovakia’s veto of the EU’s most recent sanctions package against Russia. The proposed regulation aimed to phase out remaining Russian gas imports by 2027, but the two nations opposed it, citing risks to their energy security and rising consumer costs.
Since the EU imposed sanctions on Russia in 2022, energy prices across the bloc have surged, particularly impacting energy-intensive sectors and production costs. Although the EU has reduced its reliance on Russian pipeline gas, it has increased purchases of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG). Several landlocked countries, including Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Serbia, continue to rely on Russian energy through various exemptions.
Moscow has repeatedly claimed it poses no threat to EU nations, dismissing allegations to the contrary as baseless and accusing Western powers of using such claims to justify expanding defense budgets. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently accused NATO of manufacturing threats to justify military spending and spark an arms race.
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