Don’t blame Obama for the Orbán-Putin love affair

A couple of days ago Prime Minister Viktor Orbán held talks in Budapest with the CEO of the Russian Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom), Alexey Likhachev. The Rosatom delegation discussed the Paks II nuclear power plant project. Rosatom, created by Russian President Putin in 2007, is considered (even by Russian standards) to be one of the most corrupt organizations in the world. Leaders of the company have been charged with money laundering in Russia and the United States alike. (Read more here.)

Alexey Likhachev (Rosatom) left and Viktor Orbán at a recent meeting in Budapest.

Orbán is also scheduled to meet with Putin in Moscow on September 18. Relations are excellent and the two leaders have developed a close friendship. Putin has even promised Orbán free judo lessons!

Hungary is a useful friend. It has lobbied against the American and EU sanctions recently imposed on Russia. Orbán has also been a loyal ally in Putin’s fight with Ukraine by using the Hungarian minority’s language issue to stir up trouble for Kiev. Hungary is considered Putin’s Trojan Horse in the EU.

Less than 30 years after the last Russian soldiers left the country the Kremlin’s influence in Budapest is stronger than ever. Many of us in Canada and the US are puzzled and dismayed. I never thought that Hungary would be under Russian influence again.

Yet Mr. Orbán has a small group of supporters in the US who have an intriguing explanation of the close relationship with Putin. The Hungarian Lobby is an “online club” run by Mr. Béla Lipták and its members are asked to submit letters to newspapers.

The Lobby recently distributed a letter blaming “previous US administrations” for the growing Russian influence. The letter is a response to a New York Times opinion piece entitled, “Steve Bannon Has Found His Next Trump.” (Read here.)

To: Letters to the Editor

Critical and often threateningly reproachful policies and attitudes of previous US administrations may have nudged Viktor Orbán’s politics toward the East, but that has now been reversed under the present administration. Mr. Orbán’s politics is by force of its geography a balance between East and West, but cannot and should not be placed in league with Russia’s Putin. He is most assuredly standing on the side of US policies regarding the condemnation of Russia’s actions in Syria and the Ukraine, and is demonstrably not out to destroy the EU, as he has repeatedly declared his support of it – albeit critical of its leftward shift regarding national sovereignty and the migrant issue. These, of course are not only Hungary’s issues but that of Central Europe. Neither should he be classified as far right, as that title belongs to the Jobbik party. Any fair observer of Hungary’s political spectrum should know that.

Steve Szappanos, Cleveland, OH

Mr. Szappanos has every right to express his views but blaming previous US administrations– I assume he is referring to President Obama– for Orbán’s love affair with Putin is a stretch by any measure. In my view, evidence shows no reversal in the cozy Orbán-Putin alliance under the Trump presidency; Hungary has no intention to break with Moscow.

György Lázár

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