BUDAPEST, Hungary — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban mentioned Saturday that the European Union is partly accountable for prolonging Russia’s battle in Ukraine, doubling down on his authorities’s insistence that supporting Kyiv was a mistaken technique for Europe.

Talking at an annual state of the nation tackle in Budapest, Orban mentioned the EU had fanned the flames of the battle by sanctioning Russia and supplying Ukraine with cash and weapons, somewhat than looking for to barter a peace with Moscow.

“When Russia launched its assault, the West didn’t isolate the battle however elevated it to a pan-European degree,” Orban mentioned. “The battle in Ukraine just isn’t a battle between the armies of excellent and evil, however between two Slavic nations which are preventing in opposition to each other. That is their battle, not ours.”

Beneath the slogan “Peace and Safety,” Orban’s practically hour-long tackle centered largely on the battle in Ukraine, which is approaching its one-year mark, Feb. 24.

The proper-wing populist chief has repeatedly referred to as for an instantaneous ceasefire, saying he and his authorities are “on the aspect of peace,” and condemning his Western allies for offering help to Kyiv.

Hungary, he mentioned Saturday, is “a part of the Western world, a member of NATO and the European Union the place, except for us, everybody helps the battle or not less than acts like they do.”

In latest months, Orban has spoken out strongly in opposition to a number of rounds of EU sanctions in opposition to Moscow, arguing that they’ve accomplished little to cease the battle and have damage European economies greater than Russia. Finally, nonetheless, he has all the time voted for them.

Breaking with most of its Western allies, Hungary has refused to offer army help to Ukraine or permit its switch throughout its borders, and has held up some EU efforts to offer monetary help packages to Kyiv.

On Saturday, he mentioned that whereas Hungary has supplied humanitarian help to Ukraine and brought in refugees who fled the battle, such help “doesn’t imply putting off {our relationships} with Russia, as a result of that will be opposite to our nationwide pursuits.”

“We’re sustaining our financial relationship with Russia, and in reality, we suggest that your entire Western world do the identical, as a result of with out relations, there is not going to be a ceasefire nor peace talks,” he mentioned.

Over the past decade, Orban’s authorities has pursued more and more shut financial and diplomatic ties with Russia, and concluded main agreements on shopping for Russian gasoline, oil and nuclear gasoline. Hungary has threatened to veto any EU sanctions that will have an effect on its entry to Russian power.

Saturday’s tackle got here as Orban faces quite a few political and financial obstacles solely 10 months after he and his get together gained a fourth consecutive time period in workplace.

Hungary’s financial system slowed to a technical recession within the fourth quarter of 2022, whereas its forint foreign money has misplaced 7.5% in opposition to the euro and 15% in opposition to the greenback within the final 12 months. Inflation in Hungary is among the many highest within the EU at over 25%, nicely greater than double the bloc’s common of simply over 10%.

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Comply with AP’s protection of the battle in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine