September, Friday 20, 2024

Why does Hungary's Orban hold animosity towards Ukraine?


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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has vetoed a €50bn EU package intended to provide financial aid to Ukraine over the next three years. This is not the first time Orban has blocked European Union efforts to assist Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. While Orban did allow Ukraine and Moldova to begin formal negotiations on joining the EU, he did not support the idea. Orban has expressed personal antipathy towards Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky. He is known to have a closer relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin and has been cautious in his criticism of Russia's actions. Orban believes that Ukraine cannot win the war and should seek an immediate ceasefire and negotiations. He opposes EU sanctions on Russian oil and gas and refuses to allow EU or NATO military aid to enter Ukraine. Orban argues that EU membership for Ukraine would be disastrous for the EU, including Hungarian farmers, and would divert funds away from Hungary. He views Ukraine as a buffer zone between the EU and Russia. Hungary has provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine and has assisted Ukrainian refugees, but Orban claims that history has proven him right in his stance. He points to his policies during the migration crisis of 2015-16, which he says his critics are now adopting. Orban's government also supports Hungarian minorities in neighboring countries, including 100,000 in western Ukraine. Hungarian citizens have been involved in the fighting in Ukraine, with some killed or injured and many forced to flee. The Orban government has had disagreements with Ukraine over an education law that made it difficult for Hungarian to be studied in Ukrainian schools. Orban has blocked meetings of the Nato-Ukraine commission and is skeptical of recent changes to guarantee the rights of Hungarians and other EU nationalities to speak and study in their own languages in Ukraine.