That would be Viktor Orban, of course: the current Prime Minister of Hungary, whose country has just begun its six-month (rotating) term as president of the European Union (EU).

The same Viktor Orban who has recently been racking up the frequent flyer miles, holding meetings — unauthorized and unsanctioned by the EU (or by NATO, of which Hungary is also a member) — with the likes of Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping and others, on their home turfs.

The same Viktor Orban who has labeled his tour as a “peace mission,” designed to bring about an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The same Viktor Orban who has gone against his fellow EU members by staunchly refusing to supply Ukraine with the weapons it needs for its defense against Russia’s onslaught, and threatening to block financial assistance to Ukraine’s suffering populace.

And the same Viktor Orban who knows — who has to know — that his country needs to remain aligned with the West in order to survive.

How comfortable can it be, sitting on that proverbial fence?

In an interview with Hungarian newspaper Magyar Nemzet (July 13, 2024), Orban’s political director said: “If Europe wants peace and wants to have a decisive say in settling the war and ending the bloodshed, it must now work out and implement a change of direction.” [Justin Spike, Associated Press, July 15, 2024.]

But his critics say he is acting “against the unity and interests of the EU and NATO . . . and of pursuing an appeasement strategy concerning Russia’s aggression.” [AP, id.] Ursula von der Leyen, current president of the EC (European Commission, the executive arm of the EU), has accused Orban of attempting to placate Putin. She wrote on X: “Appeasement will not stop Putin. Only unity and determination will pave the path to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine.” [Id.] Certainly her analysis is borne out by Putin’s own continued insistence that there will be no peace without acceptance of his demands — which include ceding large portions of Ukrainian territory to Russia . . . a condition to which Ukraine never will, nor should it, agree.

And as if to add insult to injury, Orban has also followed up on his trips to Beijing, Moscow and Washington with a letter to the EU member states, warning that a radical shift of policy toward the Russia-Ukraine conflict will be necessary “immediately after [Donald Trump’s] re-election as US president” (as though the result of the election were a given). In the letter, Orban proposes “engaging in high-level political talks with China to explore the modalities for a further peace conference on Ukraine, reopening direct diplomatic communication with Russia and launching a coordinated political offensive toward the Global South to regain its support.” [Gerardo Fortuna, EuroNews, July 16, 2024.]

Plagiarizing Putin’s playbook now, are we, Mr. Orban? Because that’s exactly how it sounds.

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But now, Viktor Orban is going to begin to feel the first stabbings from the pickets of that fence on which he has been sitting — the allegorical “fence” between East and West he has been sharing with Türkiye’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Slovakia’s Robert Fico, and Poland’s Andrzej Duda . . . all friends, to one degree or another, of Vladimir Putin. Because top officials of the EU have now decided to boycott all informal meetings to be hosted by Hungary during its six-month EU presidency.

The neighborhood kids aren’t coming to your party, Viktor.

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How much of a deterrent that will be to his high-handed methods of ingratiating himself with the leadership of Putin and Xi’s “new world order” remains to be seen. But it is clear that Viktor Orban cannot be ignored. Speaking in favor of the opposition is one thing. Sleeping with the enemy is an entirely different matter.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
7/17/24