In comments made at the European Parliament, Strasbourg on October 9, Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission chief, rebuked Hungary for its stance regarding Russia’s war against Ukraine and its strengthening political and economic ties to Moscow.
Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary, had hoped that a heated session of the plenary would be held to discuss the plans of his country for the Presidency the European Council. It currently holds the position until the end the year.
Von der Leyen, however, confronted him and criticized several aspects of the stance taken by his country towards Russia.
“The world has seen the atrocities of Russia’s war. Some still blame this war on the invader, not the invaded. “Not on Putin’s lust of power, but on Ukraine’s desire for freedom,” von der Leyen stated.
Hungary has repeatedly blocked Ukraine’s aid, pushed for negotiation, and often spouted Kremlin talk points. Hungary has condemned Russia’s invasion in full while refusing to provide Ukraine with weapons.
“So, I want to ask them: Would they ever blame the Hungarians the Soviet invasion of 1956?” Von der Leyen looked directly at Orban.
The comment was made after a top Orban aide criticized Ukraine’s opposition to Russia’s full scale invasion, calling it “irresponsible”, and suggesting that his country would not have advised fighting back if asked.
Balazs Orban, who is not related to the Prime Minister, made the comments while discussing Hungary’s anti Soviet uprising of 1956 that was brutally suppressed by the Red Army.
In an interview published on Sept. 26, he said: “If we had been in 1956, we probably would not have done what President Zelensky has done 2.5 years ago. It is irresponsible. We can see that he lead his country into a war of defense, many lives and territories were lost.”
Orban rejected von der Leyen’s parallel, saying that “there is no similarity between 1956 and the Russian/Ukrainian War.”
Von der Layen criticized Hungary’s plan to simplify the visa application process for Russian nationals. He called it a “backdoor” for foreign interference.
Orban dismissed the criticisms as “political propagandist.”
“I would have loved to debate the program of the president, but I see that you are not interested,” said he.
Ukraine’s independent press has made great strides since 2014’s EuroMaidan Revolution, but there are concerns since Russia’s full scale invasion.
The talks will be centered around achieving peace, Ukraine’s path to NATO, the EU and reconstruction of Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on October 9.
Finland joined NATO in early 2023, after abandoning its long-standing neutral position following Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine.
The General Staff of Ukraine said that the depot is the 67th Arsenal of Russia’s Main Missile and Artillery Directorate GRAU, located near the city of Karachev.
On Oct. 8, Viktor Orban, Hungary’s Prime Minster, said: “We will open several champagne bottles if Trump returns.”
This includes 1,150 casualties that Russian forces have suffered in the last day.
The State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced on October 8 that a Ukrainian court had sentenced in absentia, two members of “Armageddon”, backed by the Russian Security Service (FSB), for carrying out more than 5,000 hacker attacks against Ukrainian institutions and critical Infrastructure.
Mark Rutte, the new NATO Secretary General, warned on October 8 that Ukraine could face its most difficult winter since the beginning of the full-scale invasion as it prepares for further Russian attacks against the energy infrastructure.
In excerpts from Bob Woodward’s book “War”, published on Oct. 8, the U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris encouraged President Volodymyr Zelensky to create a succession plan for the event that he was killed or captured.
The local military administration reported that on October 8, Russia used guided bombs to attack the Esman community, located in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy Oblast, killing two civilians.
Gen. Chris Cavoli has compiled a list of American weapon systems that could help Ukraine fight Russia, but which the Biden Administration has yet to provide.
Senior U.S. intelligence officials have warned that American voters will likely face a surge in misinformation and influence campaigns orchestrated against them by U.S. enemies.
Denys Shmyhal, the Prime Minister of Donetsk Oblast, said that Russia had stolen more than 180,000 tonnes of Ukrainian grain from the port of Mariupol.
According to Bob Woodward’s book, the former U.S. president Donald Trump secretly sent Putin the COVID-19 test device for personal use when the coronavirus epidemic began in 2020.
Biden was to convene in Germany a meeting of leaders of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group on October 12, where President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected present his victory plan.
Local authorities reported that Russian forces used guided aerial bombs to attack a densely-populated area in Kharkiv on Oct. 8. At least two people were killed and five others injured.
“We believe this issue, the extension of the Russian sanctions should be decided after U.S. election.” We need to see the direction in which the new U.S. Administration takes this issue,” said Mihaly Varga, Hungarian Finance minister.
Oleksandr Ohrimenko, commander 72nd Mechanized Brigade, said: “The enemy had superiority on tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and artillery systems as well as anti-tank weapons and personnel.”
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