Orban's defiance: Europe's struggle with divided leadership
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán aims to make Europe great, but instead, he is dividing it with the help of Vladimir Putin, assessed the British daily "The Times." Brussels reprimanded the Hungarian Prime Minister, but weakly. It must more clearly declare that it does not support his position, the newspaper believes.
"The Hungarian leader promises that Europe will be great again, but instead, he is dividing it," wrote the daily on Monday, recalling the slogan of the Hungarian presidency in the EU Council, "Make Europe Great Again," which refers to Donald Trump's election slogan "Make America Great Again."
Since Hungary took over the six-month presidency of the EU Council on 1 July, "the populist Prime Minister will have more than usual global publicity," noted the newspaper. "Orbán believes that this temporary status allows him to play the role of a mediator in a troubled world," reads "The Times."
The head of the Hungarian government has been conducting a self-proclaimed "peace mission" recently, during which he visited Kyiv, Moscow, and Beijing. He also met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during last week's NATO summit in Washington. After the meeting, he went to Florida for talks with Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for the US presidency.
"The EU often let Orbán get away with it"
As "The Times" emphasized, Orbán presents a "supposedly great peace plan to end the war in Ukraine". However, autocrats are not interested in mediation, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not ask the Hungarian Prime Minister for help.
The EU has often let Orbán get away with it, as he is a veteran in this field. Now it has finally found a way to express its disapproval: through absence, noted the daily.
"Weak reprimand". What will Brussels do?
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen decided that commissioners will not go on the customary visit of the EC to Hungary, which has held the presidency of the EU since July - EC spokesperson Eric Mamer said on Monday. A boycott of the informal meeting of foreign ministers, which is to take place at the end of August in Budapest, is also being discussed. This meeting may also be organised in Brussels.
"It is a sort of reprimand, but a weak one, emphasizing only the EU's inability to tame unruly member states." Brussels must more clearly say that it does not share Orbán's position and is contrary to fair agreements regarding Ukraine, assessed "The Times."
"The Hungarian leader wants to undermine the entire concept of liberal Europe. His dark ally in this project is Vladimir Putin" concluded the British daily.
