Ukraine must become "buffer zone". It will not join NATO or EU, — Orbán
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán believes that Ukraine should be turned into a "buffer zone" and that Kyiv will not be able to join NATO due to the "new reality."
The politician said this in an interview with Australian entrepreneur and blogger Mario Navfal, according to Censor.NET.
About the "buffer zone"
According to him, NATO's eastward expansion has already come to an end, so Ukraine must serve as a "buffer zone."
"Western countries began to change their minds and argue that a buffer zone like Ukraine should join both NATO and the European Union. But the Russians said: 'Guys, we’re not as weak as we used to be. We’re strong now. If you get close to our borders, we’ll consider it a security issue.' We don’t view this as a matter of national freedom or national sovereignty. It’s a matter of Russia’s security. And they made it clear: if you rearm the Ukrainians—or, in practical terms, if they join NATO—Russia will have no choice but to strike. So they’ve been talking about this for years, and we’ve been saying, ‘No, no, no, it’s just a bluff.’"
"And then the Russians did what they did. So the question for the future is whether this territory known as Ukraine belongs to the West, whether it will remain so, or whether it will revert to its previous status as a buffer zone," the Hungarian prime minister said.
- Orbán believes that Ukraine should become a "buffer zone" in order to prevent a possible war between Europe and Russia in the future. Furthermore, in his view, Ukraine should not be admitted to the European Union.
"The only sensible step is to revise our strategy and decide to make Ukraine a buffer zone once again. If we do this, we will be able to improve the situation, establish business relations with Russia, and conclude agreements on security, trade, energy, and other issues. Then, a sensible and mutually beneficial relationship can develop between Russia and Europe," he asserts.
About Donbas
Orbán added that despite Ukraine’s resistance, Russia will achieve its goals in occupying Ukrainian territories.
"Russia will take it [Donbas] by any means necessary. So the question is how we can respond to this. That is why it is better to respond as quickly as possible, be ready for negotiations, and negotiate for peace rather than continue the fight. This is exactly what U.S. President Trump insisted on," said the Hungarian prime minister.
