EU Summit stance on Ukraine's EU accession
PM Orbán, reflecting on his efforts during the lengthy EU summit, said: "I tried to convince everyone not to put Ukraine's EU accession on the agenda, as the decision would be untimely."
Despite his persistent efforts, PM Orbán acknowledged that his arguments fell on deaf ears among other EU leaders. He expressed his disapproval of the decision's timing, advocating for a delay until Ukraine is ready for such a significant step.
Vetoing financial aid to Ukraine
A significant portion of the interview focused on the financial assistance to Ukraine. PM Orbán said that “the summit participants wanted to make a decision on disbursing €50 billion to Ukraine, a step Hungary could not support."
"I had to veto the transfer of this €50 billion intended for Ukraine, as well as the associated budget amendment. They had no choice but to accept it," he said.
PM Orbán further emphasized, "I made it clear that Hungarians would not pay the financial consequences of this decision. If necessary, Hungary will pull the handbrake. There should be no doubt about this."
Sovereignty and national independence
The prime minister also delved into issues of sovereignty and national independence. He highlighted, "The greatest treasure for any country is its independence, served by our constitutional systems." PM Orbán raised concerns about foreign financial influences in Hungarian politics, particularly during election times, stating that "we've seen foreign money rolling in, carrying foreign interests."
To counteract this, the prime minister mentioned the implementation of a sovereignty protection law, saying that "the law was created to ensure this does not happen again. Dollars cannot roll into the opposition's coffers."
Hungary's approach to global engagement
In his concluding remarks, PM Orbán discussed Hungary's role in the global market. He asserted that “we live better because we produce for the entire world market. Sovereignty is not a question of isolation or integration, but of proper integration into international life."
Contrasting his government's approach with that of the opposition, Prime Minister Orbán accused the opposition of acting like mercenaries and not aligning with the interests of Hungarians, adding: "Our duty is to represent the standpoint of Hungarian people."