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On October 9, 2024, in the hall of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, an important debate on the future direction of the European Union began, with a speech by Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orban · the leader of the EU Presidency.
Subsequently, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen strongly responded to Orban's remarks, especially harshly criticizing his position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The confrontation between the two leaders not only revealed deep divisions within the EU, but also sparked a broad discussion about the future direction of the EU. Can the EU reach consensus on major issues such as the economy, migration, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict? Will Hungary's role in the EU cause a bigger rift?
Hungary's plans and criticisms
Hungary Chancellor Viktor Or·ban, who represents the EU Presidency in the second half of 2024, delivered a high-profile speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on October 9.
This is the first time Orban has presented his views on EU affairs in public in the European Parliament since Hungary took over the EU presidency on July 1, 2024.
Orban's speech was full of concerns about the current state of the European Union, especially the economy, migration and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which he said put the EU at an "extremely critical moment".
Orban began by recalling the major crises facing Hungary during its EU presidency in 2011, including the global financial crisis, the Arab Spring, and the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan.
Orban believes that the current situation is more complex and difficult than in 2011, noting that the EU's economy may be facing stagnation and that decisive measures must be taken to avoid falling into the periphery of the global economy, for which Orban proposed several key plans aimed at strengthening the EU's competitiveness and responding to the migration crisis.
Orban advocated that EU countries should sign a new competitiveness agreement as soon as possible to meet the challenges of the global economy, and he believes that the current EU economic policy is too conservative to adapt to the rapid changes in the global economy.
On the issue of immigration, Orban suggested that the EU hold regular Schengen summits to discuss migration and border protection, and he believes that the EU must strengthen the protection of external borders and set up migration processing centers on the periphery of the EU to deal with illegal migration more effectively.
Speaking about the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Orban strongly criticized the EU's response strategy, which he believes lacks long-term planning and is poorly implemented.
Orban called for a resumption of dialogue with Russia, arguing that isolating Russia is not only detrimental to resolving the conflict, but also poses a threat to Europe's energy security, and Orban singled out the EU's abandonment of Russia's fossil fuels as one of the main reasons for the current high energy prices and sluggish economic growth.
Criticism of Orban's policy of appeasement
Orban's speech apparently did not win wide approval from the European Parliament, and as president of the European Commission, Ursula · von der Leyen immediately issued a strongly worded response speech, especially criticizing Orban's position on Ukraine.
von der Leyen's speech was not only a response to Orban's personal position, but also a criticism of the Hungary government's performance within the EU, and von der Leyen first expressed disagreement with Orban's "peace mission".
She pointed out that Orban's position on resuming dialogue with Russia is actually a "policy of appeasement", which is inconsistent with the position of the majority of EU member states, and she believes that the EU should not show weakness in the face of Russia's aggression, but should unswervingly support Ukraine until the end of the war.
Von der Leyen specifically mentioned that Ukraine is about to enter the third winter of the war, and Russia is trying to make this winter even harder by increasing its attacks on Ukraine's energy facilities.
In her speech, von der Leyen recalled that over the past month, Russia has launched more than 1,300 drones into Ukraine, causing large-scale damage to Ukraine's energy infrastructure, causing a large number of casualties and material losses.
She criticized those who tried to blame Ukraine for the war, arguing that this view was not only illogical but also unjust, and when speaking of Orban, von der Leyen made a clear distinction between the Hungary people and the Hungary government.
She praised the solidarity and resilience of the Hungary people, especially in the face of the floods this summer, and recognized the EU's assistance to Hungary during the floods – for example, the use of the Copernicus satellite system and the EU's civil protection mechanism to assist Hungary in dealing with disasters.
But she harshly criticized Orbán's government's policies, especially on the Russia-Ukraine war and energy, noting that the Hungary government is not only continuing to import energy from Russia, but also relaxed visa requirements for Russia citizens this summer, which is contrary to the EU's overall security interests.
Referring specifically to Orban's position, von der Leyen said: "Will we blame the Hungary people for the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956? The question immediately sparked the warmest applause in the halls of the European Parliament.
Von der Leyen reminded everyone that Ukraine should not be blamed for the current conflict, which is very similar to the situation of Hungary when they faced Soviet aggression.
In her speech, von der Leyen reaffirmed the EU's strong support for Ukraine, saying that in the future, the EU will continue to provide Ukraine with a loan of 35 billion euros, which is part of the $50 billion in aid pledged by the G7.
To compensate for the source of funds, the EU plans to use the profits from frozen Russia assets to repay these loans, and von der Leyen stressed that the EU must continue to impose tough sanctions on Russia in order to force Russia to pay for its aggression.
She pointed out that the war in Ukraine is not only about the survival of the country, but also about the security and stability of Europe as a whole. She criticized politicians who are trying to reconcile with Russia in exchange for a short-term peace, arguing that it is not only a betrayal of Ukraine, but also a departure from European values.
Criticizing the EU's "hypocritical attitude"
Orban did not back down in the face of von der Leyen's harsh criticism, and immediately after von der Leyen's speech, Orban responded on the spot, insisting that Hungary's policy is in the interests of its own people and that the EU's criticism is "hypocritical."
Orban defended Hungary's position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, saying that the EU's response to the Russia-Ukraine war was a failure, and that only the resumption of dialogue with Russia could truly solve the problem.
On the issue of energy, Orban continues to blame the EU's "Green Deal Industrial Plan", arguing that it ignores real industrial policy needs, leading to higher energy prices and slower economic growth.
He stressed that Hungary has the right to decide how to guarantee its energy supply and that EU policies should not interfere in the sovereign decisions of member states, and Orban also challenged von der Leyen's position on migration.
He believes that the EU has been too soft in dealing with illegal immigration, which has led to the worsening of the migration crisis, and he reiterated his call for the EU to strengthen border controls and set up migration processing centers outside the EU to more effectively curb the influx of illegal migrants.
This debate is not only a personal confrontation between Orban and von der Leyen, but also a microcosm of the division of opinion within the EU in the face of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the energy crisis and migration.
Orban advocated a resumption of dialogue with Russia, emphasizing the priority of national sovereignty and economic interests, while von der Leyen insisted on EU unity and unwavering support for Ukraine, arguing that any compromise would weaken the EU's position in global affairs.
Source: Orban and von der Leyen 'fierce exchange'
2024-10-10 14:56