Orban, a nationalist in power since 2010, made the comments during a speech in which he forecast a shift in global power away from the “irrational” West towards Asia and Russia. “In the next long decades, maybe centuries, Asia will be the dominant centre of the world,” Orban said, mentioning China, India, Pakistan and Indonesia as the world’s future big powers. “The EU needs to give up its identity as a political project and become an economic and defence project,” Orban added. The EU opened membership talks with Ukraine late last month, although a long and tough road lies ahead of the country before it can join the bloc. A declaration at the end of the NATO summit this month said the alliance will support Ukraine on “its irreversible path” towards membership.

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Persons: Viktor Orban, Orban, ” Orban, ” Organizations: Reuters, European Union, NATO, “, EU, Ukraine Locations: Hungarian, Ukraine, Asia, Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Baile Tusnad, Romania, Beijing, Moscow, Kyiv, Crimea, EU