Korcok: I Understand Hungary's Stances Less and Less
Budapest/Bratislava, July 23 (TASR-correspondent) – Chief of Slovak diplomacy Ivan Korcok rejects claims by Budapest, according to which both the Czech Republic and Slovakia seek to endear themselves to the EU on the issue of the Russian – Ukrainian war, TASR learnt from its correspondent on Wednesday.
“We find it quite offensive when our close neighbour feels the need to claim that Slovakia and the Czech Republic are doing everything they can to endear themselves to Brussels. I reject that! Nothing can be further from the truth,” underlined Korcok. “We’re doing what we believe is right.”
Korcok added that he’s under impression that Budapest strongly cares for using every opportunity to deviate its course from joint EU solutions.
“This message and the stance that we’re hearing from Budapest – including the one from last week – I understand less and less,” stated Korcok and added that this perception is not just Slovakia’s. However, Hungary is Slovakia’s neighbour, with which Bratislava enjoys close ties and wishes to keep them.
Korcok pointed out that the remaining Visegrad Four countries – the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia – showed their clear stance on the conflict in Ukraine. If Hungary opted to straddle the fence, Korcok acknowledges that.
Speaking in the Romanian town of Baile Tusnad, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated that Hungary wishes to stay out of Russian – Ukrainian war because it’s not a Hungarian war. “The Czechs and Slovaks had recent changes in government, and theirs now strive to get into Brussels’ good graces. This is a decision similar to you trying to stable horses in a barn that’s on fire,” he commented.
According to Orban, supplying weapons to Ukraine only serves to prolong the war because Ukraine acquires western armaments that later fall into the hands of Russians. “The only way to end the war is through Russian-US talks,” underlined Orban, adding that post-WW2 Europe has once again found itself in a situation when Americans and Russians are in the driving seat and Europe has no say over matters.
Orban also blamed the West for “ruining” ties within the Visegrad Four group. Ties with Poland had become complicated even before the war in Ukraine, despite the fact that both Warsaw and Budapest share the same strategic interests. “We want peace and we don’t want Russians coming any closer to us,” he added.
