It is not Orban who invaded Ukraine! A great many unjust and harmful words have been spoken these days

The Hungarian attitude towards the war in Ukraine is, from the Polish point of view, hard to accept. All of us in Poland feel that the bombs and rockets are being dropped on Kharkiv, Mariupol, Kiev and hundreds of other places, but that they may soon be dropped on us as well. Putin’s war, the Russians’ war, is a threat to the entire civilised world, to everything we have achieved since 1989, from freedom and economic development to NATO membership. And this makes it difficult for us to accept political or business calculations, deceptions and reluctance to fully engage on the side of democratic states. That is why, as a state and as a nation, we do our best to support Ukrainians there, on the frontline, and here, where relatives of soldiers or people seeking safety in life have arrived.

From the Ukrainian, Baltic and Polish perspective, which is also the objective truth, the situation is black and white. The eternal enemy has set out again to burn and murder, enslave and rape. We refuse to trade with the companies that remain in Russia; we refuse to purchase a single barrel of their oil or a tonne of their coal. We do not wish to see them in our media, and we refuse to have anything to do with these criminals.

It is therefore understandable that many circles in Poland are deeply disappointed with Hungary, whose attitude is very reserved. Hungary is refusing to stand firmly by our side in this attempt as a friend. And that hurts.

We disagree with Hungary’s policy towards Russian aggression, but what is said on this occasion is often unfair, and sometimes disgusting. There is an attempt to picture Hungary and Prime Minister Orban almost as the perpetrator of Russian crimes; as someone that is an ally of Putin. That is simply a lie.

It was not Hungary that invaded Ukraine, it was not Orban who was financing Putin, and it is not Budapest that holds power to end this war. Instead, Hungary is taking in refugees from Ukraine, sending humanitarian aid generously, all in proportion no less than Poland, all with no less commitment. They clearly condemn Russian aggression and have supported European sanctions - although they are not in favour of making them more severe as Poland is. They are not in favour of a total ban on Russian energy imports, but support all measures that reduce the Russian domination. They support Ukrainian sovereignty in international forums, and lobby for its admission to the EU.

Indeed, with all due objections, this is not a Putin or Lukashenko set-up. If one looks for analogies, it is more like France or Germany. Even if one is critical of Budapest’s stance, honesty requires to see this fundamental difference.

However, a suitable substitute scapegoat has been chosen. It is a good fit, because Hungary is a much smaller country than cynical Germany, and it is governed by conservative forces with a strong democratic mandate.

The choice of target is easy, but a dishonest one.

I want to say it again: it was not Hungary that invaded Ukraine, it is not Hungary that is blocking significantly more sanctions (if Germany accepts them, Hungary will do the same), and it was not Hungary that built Nord Stream 1 and 2.

So, now let’s criticize, let’s discuss, and above all, let’s use fair measure.

Tłum. K.J.