Members of Hungary’s ruling right-wing Fidesz party and allies of Prime Minister Viktor Orban will hold closed-door meetings with US Republicans over halting US aid to Ukraine, The Guardian reported Sunday (Dec 10).
According to the report, Márton Ugrósdy, the deputy state secretary for the prime minister’s political director’s office, and Attila Demkó, a leading pro-Orbán academic, along with members of the Hungarian embassy in Washington, will be participating in a two-day event hosted by conservative think-tank Heritage Foundation starting Monday (Dec 11).
Kelley Currie, a former ambassador under then-president Donald Trump, and Magor Ernyei, the international director of the Centre for Fundamental Rights, are expected to be on the guest list on the first day.
On the second day, some Republican Congressmen have been reportedly invited to join the closed-door discussions on Ukraine.
A diplomatic source close to the Hungarian embassy was quoted by the Guardian as saying: “Orbán is confident that the Ukraine aid will not pass in Congress. That is why he is trying to block assistance from the EU as well.”
Ruckus in Washington over Ukraine aid
The US Congress is heavily polarised over the issue of shoring up Ukraine’s defences using American taxpayers’ money.
The White House warned earlier this week that the fund to help Ukraine fight its war against Russia will run dry by the end of this year if no further congressional action is taken.
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However, the appeal hardly moved the stubborn Republicans.
On Wednesday (Dec 6), Senate Republicans blocked an emergency spending bill to fund the war in Ukraine.
Hungary’s opposition to Ukraine
Hungary in late November declared that it would block any EU proposal aimed at making Ukraine a part of the European Union.
The announcement came days ahead of a key EU meeting in mid-December where top leaders are expected to discuss Ukraine’s fate.
Last month, Budapest also threatened to block $50 billion of European aid for Ukraine, with PM Orban’s party launching scathing attacks on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
“Let’s not dance to their tunes,” read posters put up by the Fidesz party showing Ursula alongside Alex Soros, the son of the liberal Hungarian-born financier George Soros.
Orbán, who is described as a Putin ally by Western media, is a frequent critic of aid to help Ukraine against the Russian invasion.
(With inputs from agencies)
