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Anti-Russia Sanctions to Be Removed if EU Fails to Keep Commitments to Hungary — Orban
TASS ^ | 1/31/25

Posted on 01/31/2025 9:57:25 AM PST by marshmallow

Earlier, Brussels assured Budapest of providing energy security guarantees, including the commitment to seek Ukraine’s resumption of transit of Russian gas, to prevent the disruption of transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline, and to secure the TurkStream gas pipeline from attacks

BUDAPEST, January 31. /TASS/. Hungary will prevent further extension of EU sanctions against Russia if the European Commission fails to provide its energy security guarantees, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on the Kossuth radio station.

Earlier, Brussels assured Budapest of providing energy security guarantees, including the commitment to seek Ukraine’s resumption of transit of Russian gas, to prevent the disruption of transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline, and to secure the TurkStream gas pipeline from attacks. In response, Hungary approved the extension of EU sanctions against Moscow for another six months after January 31.

"If the European Commission fails to do as we agreed, sanctions will be lifted. And now we should speak about it resolutely, otherwise, no one will take us seriously, while the Hungarian people will be paying for sanctions-related losses," Orban said.

Kiev has not only suspended transit of Russian gas to Central European countries, but it also threatened to stop oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline, he noted. Moreover, the Ukrainian army has attacked with a drone a compressor station in the Krasnodar Region ensuring the supply of fuel to the TurkStream gas pipeline. "Such behavior of Ukrainians has made us say that this is unacceptable. We were forced to warn directly that sanctions would be lifted immediately unless changes on those issues occur," he said.

(Excerpt) Read more at tass.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: anydaynowukrainewins; assistantdemsonfr; foreigners4bidenbux; heilputlerfanclub; putinismymessiah; rabidrussophobes; tass; zelviswinsprettysoon

1 posted on 01/31/2025 9:57:25 AM PST by marshmallow
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To: marshmallow

Neo-marxist, globalist Eurotrash ideologues in Brussels will destroy the EU, its people and its economy to push forward on their green-energy, open-borders, and anti-Russia fantasies.

At least there are some national leaders like Orban willing to stand up to them.


2 posted on 01/31/2025 10:08:10 AM PST by PGR88
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To: marshmallow

Orban is a socialist grifter.

He lives on massive EU subsidies. EU taxpayers had enough giving and giving to him with nothing in return.

It’s time to go all Trump on Orban! Stop the EU billions from entering Hungary! If he wants to join the Russian sinking ship, maybe that’s better - under certain conditions. But Russia will not have the means to subsidize him further than the EU does anyway.

He could get cheap Russian gas, yes.
That’s the only reason Orban is licking Putin’s boots all day long (and night).


3 posted on 01/31/2025 10:12:30 AM PST by USA-FRANCE (The Iran-Russia-North Korea-China Alliance is at war against Israel and Ukraine. Let's not forget.)
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To: USA-FRANCE
what the hell is going on in France?

‼️Candace Owens,an American political activist and conservative columnist,has just announced that she has found evidence that Brigitte, the "wife" of French President Emmanuel Macron,is indeed a biological man.

Candice flew to France to meet with journalists there who have been… pic.twitter.com/0LGMjI31il— Tibo91 (@Tibortibor15) January 11, 2025


4 posted on 01/31/2025 10:20:08 AM PST by JonPreston ( ✌ ☮️ )
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To: USA-FRANCE

ROFL. You really don’t fit in here, don’t you? Trashing Orban, one of the few legitimate leaders in the EU and a champion of conservative values, is just going to result in people recognizing you for the statist you are.


5 posted on 01/31/2025 10:50:22 AM PST by EnderWiggin1970
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To: USA-FRANCE

YOU MUST BE ON THE WRONG BOARD, FROGGY

Fight your own damn war and leave US ALONE.

YOU pay for the war. We’re DONE.

You guys are a socialist, caving to muslims JOKE

Muslims are your invaders, not a country wanting to keep neocons and NATO off of its doorstep.

Putin is not a good guy.

But even a broken clock..


6 posted on 01/31/2025 11:20:56 AM PST by dp0622 (Tried a coup, a fake tax story, tramp slander, Russia nonsense, impeachment and a virus. They lost.)
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To: USA-FRANCE
It’s time to go all Trump on Orban!

Trump and Orban are great pals. Try to keep up.

Hungary's PM Orban meets with Trump, Musk, says 'future has begun'

7 posted on 01/31/2025 11:21:01 AM PST by marshmallow
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To: marshmallow

Trump doesn’t know much about Orban.

Orban is a loser who has wrecked Hungary economy which has now plunged into recession. That’s what happens when his socialist mindset mostly relies on EU subsidies. Right?

Without the EU his country would have been sunk already.

Hungary is the second poorest country in the entire EU, and it’s getting worse by the hour!

Trump isn’t the one who gives Orban billions and billions of dollars every single year, the EU does that, but has had enough! When Trump will be briefed on the fact that Orban has plunged his country into deep recession and is only surviving on other kind EU nations help, he will quickly dismiss Orban as the EU’s biggest loser.

Supporting socialist-minded grifters like Orban is not something that Trump will do much longer.

Remember, Trump made a U-Turn concerning Ukraine, and now puts all the pressure on Russia, menacing it with further crippling sanctions, and strangle Russia with cheap oil. Ukraine is celebrating Trump for his new approach!

Trump is being briefed by the day now - it changes everything!

You have to read more about what’s happening in the world.
You seem disconnected.


8 posted on 01/31/2025 11:44:31 AM PST by USA-FRANCE (The Iran-Russia-North Korea-China Alliance is at war against Israel and Ukraine. Let's not forget.)
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To: USA-FRANCE
Trump doesn’t know much about Orban

LOL.....he knows more than you. Orban's spent more time at Mar-a-Lago than Trump. Trump and Orban are tight

From last July: Hungarian PM Viktor Orban Meets Donald Trump at Mar-A-Lago, Seeks His White House Return

9 posted on 01/31/2025 11:54:03 AM PST by marshmallow
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To: EnderWiggin1970; dp0622

You have been duped.
Orban is surviving mostly thanks to EU subsidies. Only socialist-minded individuals behave that way. They rely on EU tax-payers money. Orban has plunged Hungary into deep recession, he is 100% dependent on Russian energy which is making him a slave and Hungary has now become Europe’s second POOREST country! Trump has criticized in a very harsh way EU nations who got themselves enslaved by Russian oil! Remember?

You seem to support grifters surviving on others money... Not very conservative of you...


10 posted on 01/31/2025 11:54:57 AM PST by USA-FRANCE (The Iran-Russia-North Korea-China Alliance is at war against Israel and Ukraine. Let's not forget.)
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To: marshmallow

“From last July...”

>>>>>>>>>

ROFL - That’s an eternity! Old news.

Trump wasn’t even elected at that time! And thus wasn’t correctly briefed about what kind of grifter Orban truly is.
Orban’s socialist mind has pushed him to rely on EU subsidies. He has plunged Hungary into a deep recession and made it Europe’s second poorest country. You think Trump admires losers now? Evidently not. Trump doesn’t care one bit about grifters and the recessions they are responsible for.


11 posted on 01/31/2025 12:05:26 PM PST by USA-FRANCE (The Iran-Russia-North Korea-China Alliance is at war against Israel and Ukraine. Let's not forget.)
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To: USA-FRANCE
ROFL - That’s an eternity! Old news. Trump wasn’t even elected at that time!

LOL.....that's the whole point!! Orban and Trump go back a long way. Orban's been working closely with Trump for years.

Thanks for making my point, clown.

12 posted on 01/31/2025 12:09:44 PM PST by marshmallow
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To: USA-FRANCE

*eyeroll* sigh, The French.


13 posted on 01/31/2025 1:05:07 PM PST by BlackbirdSST (Trump or Bust! Long live the Republic.)
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To: USA-FRANCE

Trump and Orban are friends.


14 posted on 01/31/2025 1:05:46 PM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: marshmallow

“LOL.....that’s the whole point!! Orban and Trump go back a long way. Orban’s been working closely with Trump for years.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>

No, actually it makes my point.
Donald Trump and Viktor Orbán have had a cordial relationship, but they have not “worked together for years” in any formal capacity.

The fact that Orban is deeply in bed with China and Russia doesn’t that make his a de facto a kind of globalist?

Yes.
Viktor Orbán’s deep economic and political ties with China and Russia contradict his strong nationalist and anti-globalist rhetoric. This makes him a kind of “selective globalist”—someone who opposes Western-led internationalism (EU, U.S., NATO) but embraces alternative global partnerships.

Lets not forget that Hungary is a key player in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), receiving major investments in infrastructure and technology. Chinese firms, like Huawei, have a strong presence in Hungary, even as Western nations restrict them.
Also, Orban continues to rely on Russian energy, particularly natural gas, and has tried to block some EU sanctions against Russia.

Undermining Western Alliances while strengthening Eastern ones:
He frequently criticizes the European Union, NATO, and the U.S. but strengthens ties with authoritarian leaders like Putin and Xi Jinping.
Hungary has even stalled NATO expansion (e.g., delaying Sweden’s membership) while keeping close relations with Neo Soviet and Communist global powers.

A different kind of globalism:
Instead of rejecting globalism outright, Orban goes all in supporting a parallel globalist world order where Western liberalism is weakened, and alternative powers (NeoSoviet Russia, Communist China, Islamist Turkey) rise as counterweights.

This is another form of globalism - rejecting Western democratic norms while still engaging in global economic and political alliances.

Thus, how does this differ from Trump’s view on globalism?
While Trump is pushing for a nationalist “America First” approach with the support of America’s usual allies and alliances, he is skeptical of China and Russia and has always aimed to weaken their influence rather than embrace them. During his first mandate, he imposed tariffs on China and pressured Europe to reduce dependence on Russian energy. Orban, on the other hand, actively embraces these rival powers while opposing Western-led globalism.

So, while Orban presents himself as a nationalist, his strategic choices show that he is not against globalization itself - he just prefers a different version of it.


15 posted on 01/31/2025 2:24:43 PM PST by USA-FRANCE (The Iran-Russia-North Korea-China Alliance is at war against Israel and Ukraine. Let's not forget.)
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To: USA-FRANCE

You do realize that all of Eastern Europe plus Austria and Luxembourg are part of the BRI? Do you apply the same standards to them?

https://greenfdc.org/countries-of-the-belt-and-road-initiative-bri/


16 posted on 01/31/2025 2:44:57 PM PST by yuleeyahoo (“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!” - the deep-state)
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To: USA-FRANCE

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17 posted on 01/31/2025 3:12:58 PM PST by Rocco DiPippo (Either the Deep State destroys America or we destroy the Deep State. -Donald Trump)
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To: USA-FRANCE
Donald Trump and Viktor Orbán have had a cordial relationship, but they have not “worked together for years” in any formal capacity.

More fantasy.

Orban was Hungarian Prime Minister throughout the entirety of Trump's first term. You're telling us they didn't "work together"? Orban has been one of the few government leaders in the West who has consistently and openly supported Trump. Orban visited Mar-a-Lago on multiple occasions between 2020-2024 when Trump was out of office and not to play golf, either. This was and is a working relationship.

For that, Orban has been constantly vilified by the liberal press and news media in this country who have trashed him at every opportunity, just as you do. CNN, the New York Times, MSNBC and the rest, all detest Orban, just as you do. You're playing on the same team as these collectivists and globalists. Feel good about that?

CBS has described Orban as "far-right": Hungary's far right Prime Minister Viktor Orbán visits Trump in Mar-a-Lago after NATO summit

NBC calls Orban "hard line" and they don't mean socialist, either: Trump hosts hard-line Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán at Mar-a-Lago.

You're an unserious contributor to this forum.

18 posted on 01/31/2025 3:45:29 PM PST by marshmallow
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To: yuleeyahoo; marshmallow; BlackbirdSST; BroJoeK

“You do realize that all of Eastern Europe plus Austria and Luxembourg are part of the BRI? Do you apply the same standards to them?”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Those Eastern EU countries are respecting basic EU rules, are not behaving like spoiled drama queens and are not begging for massive EU subsidies while undermining all of the EU.

Hungary though... does all that and is by FAR Europe’s biggest grifter. While Orban has become the perfect example of what a socialist drama queen is all about. He is NOT “far right”, not one bit! Don’t believe the media.

Let me explain:

1. Poland’s defense contributions justify its EU subsidies:

Poland, while being the largest net recipient of EU funds (-11.91 billion euros / 2021), can be excused because of its substantial defense spending. Given the growing threat from Russia, Poland is acting as a major security buffer for Europe. It has been rapidly modernizing its military, purchasing advanced equipment (e.g., American Abrams tanks, F-35 fighter jets, and HIMARS rocket systems), and increasing its defense budget well beyond NATO’s 2% GDP target (they are over 4%, more than what America is contributing to Nato). In this sense, Poland’s EU funding it gets indirectly helps protect the continent, making its reliance on EU subsidies justifiable.

2. Hungary receives large subsidies DESPITE undermining EU values:

Hungary, on the other hand, receives 4.2 billion euros in net EU funds while actively undermining the EU’s principles, making it the real “grifter” of the union. Here’s why:

In direct opposition to Trump’s accomplishments and philosophy, the Hungarian government, led by Viktor Orban, has systematically weakened democratic institutions, suppressed independent media, and exerted control over the judiciary. This has led to the EU freezing some of its funds, yet Hungary still benefits significantly from subsidies.

Blocking EU consensus for leverage: Hungary frequently threatens to veto EU decisions (such as sanctions on Russia or military aid to Ukraine) to extract concessions from Brussels, effectively blackmailing the EU while still receiving substantial financial support.

Corruption and misuse of EU FUNDS!!:
Hungary has faced multiple investigations over misuse of EU funds, with much of the money flowing to government-linked oligarchs instead of being used for development or infrastructure projects that benefit the broader population.

Close ties with Russia and China:
Unlike Poland, which takes a strong pro US and pro EU stance against Russia, Hungary has maintained friendly relations with Moscow, even opposing efforts to limit Russian energy imports and slowing down EU military aid to Ukraine. This contradicts the EU’s strategic interests while Hungary STILL benefits from European financial support.

3. Hungary’s economic dependency on EU funds!!
Hungary’s economy is highly dependent on EU subsidies, yet it actively criticizes and obstructs EU policies. Unlike Poland, which has a strong industrial and military sector, Hungary relies heavily on EU structural funds to maintain economic stability. This creates a paradox where Hungary benefits from EU money while actively working against the union’s cohesion and interests.

And to make it even worse, Orban’s Socialist economy has plunged Hungary into recession! Hungary is now Europe’s second poorest country! What is he doing with all the money he gets from the EU!?

Conclusion:
Hungary is EU’s biggest grifter - without competition (!) :
While Poland is the largest net recipient of EU funds, its substantial defense investments make it a crucial pillar of European security. In contrast, Hungary receives billions from the EU while simultaneously eroding democratic values, obstructing EU policies, and maintaining cozy ties with the West’s traditional enemy: NeoSoviet Russia. This makes Hungary a far more fitting candidate for the title of the EU’s biggest “grifter.”

LASTLY:
Final Argument: Why Orban is considered a socialist compared to Trump:

Orban embraces regulations, state control over industries, businesses, and prices — hallmarks of socialism.

Orban taxes corporations heavily to redistribute wealth, while Trump cuts corporate taxes.

Orban nationalizes key industries, while Trump favors private sector dominance.

Trump’s tariffs and trade restrictions may contradict free-market capitalism, but they are still focused on helping private business rather than state control.

Trump is a nationalist-capitalist, Orban is a nationalist-socialist.

Germany, France, The Netherlands, Italy and Sweden are the top five countries contributing to the EU. Without them Hungary would be a dead zone today - it would be bankrupt.

https://www.statista.com/chart/18794/net-contributors-to-eu-budget/


19 posted on 01/31/2025 9:47:37 PM PST by USA-FRANCE (The Iran-Russia-North Korea-China Alliance is at war against Israel and Ukraine. Let's not forget.)
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To: USA-FRANCE

“Orban taxes corporations heavily to redistribute wealth, while Trump cuts corporate taxes.”

The corporate tax rate in Hungary is currently 9%. This rate has been in effect since January 1, 2017, making it one of the lowest in Europe.

US tax reform legislation enacted on 22 December 2017 (P.L. 115-97) moved the United States from a ‘worldwide’ system of taxation towards a ‘territorial’ system of taxation. Among other things, P.L. 115-97 permanently reduced the 35% CIT rate on resident corporations to a flat 21% rate for tax years beginning after 31 December 2017.


20 posted on 02/01/2025 8:38:21 AM PST by yuleeyahoo (“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!” - the deep-state)
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