EUCO Liveblog
Pushing Hungary to arm Ukraine is un-European, says senior Orbán aide
A senior aide to Viktor Orbán said making Hungary contribute military aid to Ukraine is "not European."
"I think it's not European to force Hungary to participate if the majority of Hungarian people don't want to be involved," said Balázs Orbán, who is no relation to his boss.
Hungary backs the push to bolster European defence, Orbán said, though he evaded the question of whether Russia was a strategic threat.
"We Europeans should be able to defend ourselves," Orbán said. "Rearmament of the European countries, yes, rearmament of countries outside the European Union, no," though he added Hungary did not want to get in the way of other countries arming Ukraine.
But when asked whether Russia is a strategic threat that Europe needs to defend itself from, Orbán said Europe needs to protect itself "from anybody – we have several threats from several directions." By way of example, he mentioned irregular migration.
"I think it's not European to force Hungary to participate if the majority of Hungarian people don't want to be involved," said Balázs Orbán, who is no relation to his boss.
Hungary backs the push to bolster European defence, Orbán said, though he evaded the question of whether Russia was a strategic threat.
"We Europeans should be able to defend ourselves," Orbán said. "Rearmament of the European countries, yes, rearmament of countries outside the European Union, no," though he added Hungary did not want to get in the way of other countries arming Ukraine.
But when asked whether Russia is a strategic threat that Europe needs to defend itself from, Orbán said Europe needs to protect itself "from anybody – we have several threats from several directions." By way of example, he mentioned irregular migration.
