Friday, February 3, 2023

Have Moscow And Budapest...

... settled the issue of Hungarian enclaves in former Ukraine already? Here is significant interview to Polish resource by former Hungary's MP a day ago. 

The Hungarian government believes that Russia will win the war against Ukraine and therefore avoids sanctions against Moscow, Hungarian politician and former MEP Benedek Jávor told EURACTIV Poland in an interview, adding that Budapest silently hopes there will be a modification of borders in the region.“They [Hungarian government] want to maintain good relations with Russia. They believe Moscow will defeat Ukraine, and there’s a chance for modifying the borders with Ukraine and annexation of the Podkarpackie region,” Jávor said. Asked if this is an “official” plan, he replied negatively but said former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev had openly suggested that after destroying Ukraine, Russia could divide it up between Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania.I heard the Hungarian willingness to stick to this plan during informal talks with government politicians. Orbán hasn’t mentioned it openly,” Jávor said. 

Of course, Victor Orban will not say anything like this openly, but it is implied in contemporary Russian-Hungarian relations.  That fits not only into the pattern of these relations but into a historically firm trend of smaller nations changing their geopolitical orbits around major powers. In Russia's orbit one gets to be assured of energy supply and, under some circumstances, protection, including military one. And then, of course, there is the issue of culture. Russians do not really care what political system or religion one has, as long as it is not hostile and socially and culturally traditional. Hungary fits the bill perfectly. Nobody asks anyone to love Russia. Strictly business and what could be defined as conservative (not in the American sense) values. 

Does Orban believe in miraculous revival of Europe and its culture? I don't think so. Just today, fresh from Hungary.   

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto issued a scathing rebuke of the US ambassador to Budapest on Thursday, asserting that he has no business meddling in the nation’s internal affairs. The minister’s comments came after Ambassador David Pressman, who has represented Washington in Budapest since September 2022, told Politico earlier this week that Hungarian policymakers “continue to push policies endorsed by [Russian President Vladimir] Putin.” He was referring to Budapest's opposition to anti-Russia sanctions and support of Moscow’s proposals for a ceasefire. When asked to respond to the statement at a press conference, Szijjarto said, “Nobody can tell us from the outside how to live, so it is of no interest what a citizen of another country – be it an ambassador – thinks about the domestic political processes in Hungary. “We ask for more respect for the Hungarians, even from the ambassador,” he added. It is not Pressman’s “job to interfere in the internal affairs of Hungary,” the minister declared. 

You see, Hungarians can be Russophobic all they want, as long as they maintain reasonable relations, Russians do not care. If that is not enough, Turkiye's Interior Minister has his very interesting (and realistic, I may say) take on the whole US-EU and Turkiye relations:

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu accused US ambassador Jeffry Flake of trying to “confuse” people in the host nation and told him to get his “filthy hands” off the country. He has previously claimed that Western nations were waging “psychological warfare” to undermine tourism in Türkiye. “I’m telling you very clearly, get your filthy hands off Türkiye. I know clearly what you have done, what steps you have taken, and how you want to confuse Türkiye,” the minister said in a speech on Friday. Soylu claimed the first questions “every US ambassador” arriving in Türkiye was asked were “How can I stage a coup” and “How can I harm Türkiye.” The minister also stated that European nations were “run” by American diplomats.The remarks came a day after the US and several EU nations decided to temporarily shut down their their consulates in Istanbul due to “security considerations.”

I cannot say that he is incorrect. Soylu surely has a point. This trend on many nations having a point will continue, until the whole EU structure collapses. Per US attempts on China. Well, those Washington's "strategists" should sort their clusterfuck out in 404 first, and Russians observe it in genuine amusement.

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