The prime minister started out by depicting the grim reality of the state of the war, as despite the early hopes of the conflict not escalating beyond border clashes, the European community had found itself in the middle of a devastating war.
“After a year the war is much more brutal and cruel than when it started” - the PM said.
As of recent data from the warring states, the casualties mount up to more than 100.000 thousand on each side, although statistics like this are estimates only.
Still, the prime minister reminded that “this means that 200-300 thousand people, adding up the losses on both sides, will not return home. This means that orphans, widows, and therefore masses of the most serious human tragedies are being created every day.”
Trying to come to terms with the sheer scale of destruction and human tragedy, the world public is sharply divided according to PM Orbán instead of an “unanimous international commitment to peace”.
Elaborating further on the topic the prime minister noted, that even though “there is the West including Europe, and everyone else”, countries outside of the European sphere are also deeply concerned about the escalation of the conflict as it also affects them negatively.
These states are determined to see hostilities ceased the PM explained, as “the economic impact of the war, primarily through food supply disruption and inflation is not only driving up inflation and prices here, but they are suffering through lot of the same issues as us as well”.
Prime Minister Orbán said that the “West's position differs fundamentally from theirs”, calling out the leaders of the Western world being “succumbed to war fever”.
“Let's not forget that the Germans started with helmets, now they're on to tanks” he noted adding that now “it is a fully established topic that sending fighter jets would be the next task”.
As a result, according to the PM, with the European stance and rhetoric moving towards the trajectory of escalation, “more and more dangerous weapons are being shipped to Ukraine”, and said that “we are very close to having a serious proposal on the table to allow soldiers from countries allied with Ukraine to cross the border and go to Ukraine's soil”.
According to the PM, only the Vatican, and Hungary share a true commitment to peace within Europe, saying that Western pro-war actors have a wide variety of political and economic interests to maintain their positions.
Although Hungary is adamant in its pro-peace sentiment, the sudden dissolution of the previous geopolitical status quo also revealed the necessity of protecting sovereignty from foreign threats.
The prime minister noted that the current situation made it clear that “when one's country is attacked, it must be defended” and even though “Hungary is for peace, but we must keep our powder dry”.
“The weaker you look, the more you are exposed to the malice of other countries or their plans to harm you” and for this reason “you must be strong enough to keep what you have.
And for that you need an army” the prime minister explained.
In order to bolster our efforts on the military front, Prime Minister Orbán detailed a three-step process.
The first pillar of course as the PM explained is “patriotic thinking, education, national culture”, the fundamental values of national identity.
The second is the preparedness of the general public, on the procedures and institutions that come into effect in the case of a conflict endangering Hungarian soil.
And the third step is “to have people who will defend the country with force, with armed force, if necessary. This is the nation’s defense. That's why it's important for the Hungarian Defense Forces to be effective.”
Regarding these fundamental pillars the Prime Minister Orbán admitted that there is “room for improvement” but the goal of “Hungary being both militarily strong and pro-peace” is clear.
On the seemingly soured relation with the EU, PM Orbán distinguished several key issues that Hungary is discontent with.
The issue of migration is still a looming threat, and the prime minister called the situation “absurd” where Hungary, “while defending its own and the European Union's external borders, will be fined unless we let migrants in”.
The other fundamental difference is the question of war, as “they are pro-war, and we are pro-peace”.
And there's the third one, which the PM does not see as “resolvable”, the so-called gender issue, which is “nothing other than the issue of child protection” in his view.
“In Brussels, they are demanding that we abolish parental primacy in child-rearing.”
According to the prime minister, “Hungary insists that in the case of minor children, the upbringing of children, including sex education and preparation for life, is the responsibility of the parents”, adding that his stance has been clear on this for a while now.
“No one can take that away from them” and stated “parents have the right to protect their children, their rights, and they have the right to expect the same from the government”.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán expressed and emphasized that he feels “there is such a gap, such a divide between the two positions”, that he does not see “how it can be bridged”.
In his view as it is a fundamental issue, Hungary “will not give way”, therefore “Brussels will have to give way in the end”.