USA – Hungary/ Bilateral relations at crisis point

2023-04-14 08:47:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

USA – Hungary/ Bilateral relations at crisis point

Illustrative photo

For the first time since the beginning of the Russian war against Ukraine, the USA sanctions an allied country: Hungary. Orbán's government reacts defiantly and will continue its friendly course towards Russia.

If you take a look at the newspapers close to the government in Hungary these days, the question will undoubtedly arise, where the war actually prevails in Europe and which country is the cause of it. Russia's invasion of Ukraine is referred to as the "Ukrainian crisis". On the contrary, the USA is presented as the aggressor. The US is violating Hungary's sovereignty and is "pushing the country into a war", it is said unanimously in Orbán's media.

Such anti-American tones in Hungary have not been heard for a long time, even in the last years of the socialist dictatorship. The actual cause was the anti-Russian sanctions package of the US government, which was announced on Wednesday (12.04.2023) and which also affected Hungary. At first glance, they do not appear to be severe sanctions: affected by the US sanctions are the Russian-Hungarian International Investment Bank (IIB) as well as its management personnel, among them the deputy director of the IIB, Imre Laszloczki.

This is not a precedent case: during the last years, the USA has sanctioned many politicians and businessmen from allied countries such as also from Albania and Bulgaria. Unnamed Hungarian nationals have also been included in the US sanctions list. But now with Hungary, for the first time since the beginning of the Russian war against Ukraine, a NATO member country is sanctioned. This is due to the fact that IIB is not a bank at all, but a state bank, Hungary has about 25 percent of the shares.

USA – Hungary/ Bilateral relations at crisis point

But even more important is that the Hungarian Ministry of Economy suddenly announced on Thursday evening (13.04.2023) that Hungary withdraws from the IIB. With this, the Hungarian government took the first step as a result of the US sanctions.

Whether this is a move to change course on Hungary's foreign policy remains to be seen. Normally, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the conflicts with the US and the EU has so far in most cases taken small steps behind, but has not undertaken any substantial change in his course.

IIB – Hungary's "Spies Bank".

The IIB in Hungary is also referred to as a "spy bank" because its leaders come from within the Russian FSB secret service and IIB chief Nikolai Kosov comes from a family of KGB officers. The bank, whose headquarters was moved from Moscow to Budapest in 2019, plays an important role in Russian-Hungarian relations. IIB Deputy Director Laszloczki is an architect and manager of Hungarian economic policy in Russia and the Central Asian republics.

Sanksionet e SHBA-së kundër Hungarisë janë një pikë krize në marrëdhëniet prej kohësh të tensionuara e ndërkohë haptazi armiqësore mes Hungarisë dhe SHBA-së. Kryeministri Viktor Orban e ka shfaqur hapur antipatinë e tij ndaj presidentit të SHBA-së, Joe Biden dhe vazhdon të jetë një mik i Donald Trump. Orban ishte i pari kryeministër i një vendi të BE-së që pati uruar për zgjedhjen Trump më 2017. Së fundi, me rastin e padisë ndaj ish-presidentit të SHBA-së, Orban postoi në tëitter mesazhin: "Keep on fighting, Mr. President! we are with you, @realDonaldTrump!"

Ministri i Jashtëm i Hungarisë sërish në Moskë

Prëfaqësues të qeverisë së SHBA-së vazhdimisht kanë kritikuar gjendjen e demokracisë dhe të shtetit ligjor në Hungari, si dhe praktikat e korrupsionit dhe janë shprehur me shqetësim për marrëdhëniet ruso-hungareze. Pikërisht raportet ruso-hungareze ishin edhe shkaku i përfshirejs së Hungarisë në paketën e fundit të sanksioneve antiruse.

Fartkikisht Hungaria është i vetmi vend i BE-së, që mban zyrtarisht marrëdhënie miqësore më Rusinë dhe deri tani e ka dënuar vetëm me gjysmë zemre agresionin rus kundër Ukrainës. Të martën (11.04.2023) ministri i Jashtëm i Hungarisë, Peter Szijjarto udhëtoi në Moskë dhe zhvilloi atje bisedime për furnizimet ruse me gaz dhe investimet ruse në industrinë hungareze të energjisë bërthamore. Po të njëjtën ditë ministri i Jashtëm bjellorus Sergej Alejnik qëndroi për bisedime në Budapest.

Hungary has so far supported the EU's anti-Russian sanctions with few exceptions, and for this reason Moscow recently classified it as an "unfriendly country". However, the Hungarian Prime Minister Orban is constantly speaking openly demanding an end to the sanctions. Orban constantly expresses conjectures that the war would not have happened if the US president had been Donald Trump. Indirectly, he puts the blame for Russia's attack on Ukraine on the US and the EU.

After the US ambassador in Budapest on Wednesday evening (12.04.2023) announced the US sanctions, representatives of Orbán's Fidesz party said that Hungary will defend its sovereignty and will not change its position. The media close to the government continue the anti-American campaign./ DW