Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has stressed how the Hungarian government will not allow Hungarians to be forced to pay the price of war.
The prime minister participated in a video conference with European Council President Charles Michel and the prime ministers of Slovakia, Ireland, and Spain, in preparation for an extraordinary European Union summit scheduled for Thursday. PM Orbán said peace was in Hungary’s interest and he called for the swiftest possible end to the war in Ukraine through negotiations. He said extending sanctions to cover the energy sector would result in a disproportionately large burden on families and businesses. The statement said the other leaders were in agreement. Hungary condemns Russia’s armed attack on Ukraine and will provide every assistance to people fleeing from the war, PM Orbán said. But when it comes to sanctions, it must be recognized that the bulk of Hungary’s gas and oil supplies are from Russia, he added, and 90 percent of Hungarian homes rely on gas heating. “The Hungarian economy would grind to a halt with no gas or oil,” the prime minister said.
Photo credit: MTI