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US ambassador makes threat to Hungary


David Pressman, U.S. ambassador to Hungary, attends the LGBTQ Pride parade in Budapest, 15 July 2023 © Getty Images / Marton Monus
RT | January 27, 2024

The US has the power to pressure Hungary if it does not adjust its foreign policy towards the EU, NATO and Russia, American ambassador to Budapest, Davis Pressman, said.

In an interview published in the Financial Times on Friday, Pressman laid out a laundry list of complaints about Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, including his defiant stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and attitude towards Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“When you look at Hungary’s foreign policy, whether it be suggesting raising questions about Ukraine’s EU accession, stymying efforts to provide financial support to Ukraine, meeting with Vladimir Putin, resisting efforts to diversify off of Russian energy, resisting sustained efforts to close Kremlin platforms inside of Hungary, all of these have something in common,” the diplomat said. “And it’s something that is leaving Hungary more isolated from its partners within Nato and its partners within the EU.”

Pressman went on to insist that Orban’s “policy choices, without question, are helpful to Putin.” He added that the US has the means of coercing Hungary.

“We absolutely have leverage, that is true. And we’re prepared to use our leverage.”

Unlike many NATO members, Hungary has refused to send weapons to Ukraine and has barred the alliance from using its territory to provide military aid to Kiev. Orban also opposed certain economic sanctions on Russia. Last month, Hungary vetoed an additional €50 billion ($55 billion) in EU funding for Ukraine.

Budapest has maintained that no foreign pressure can prompt it to abandon national interests. “No one can tell us from the outside how to lead our lives within our own borders. Whether it is a foreign citizen, or even a foreign ambassador, their opinion is irrelevant for us,” Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said last year, as quoted by local media.

January 27, 2024 - Posted by | Aletho News | , , ,

2 Comments »

  1. The USA has not yet got the message : “Your Empire is over. You don’t scare us with sanctions or military any more.”

    Either learn to behave or go away.

    Still, 75 years since Britain became irrelevant, they still believe that they are somehow important.

    Like

    peterjohnarnold's avatar Comment by peterjohnarnold | January 28, 2024 | Reply

  2. The arrogance of the Rules Based Disorder was on full display in Hungary. My suggestion: Send the POS back to where he came from.

    Like

    Thomas Lee Simpson's avatar Comment by Thomas Lee Simpson | January 28, 2024 | Reply


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