Prime Minister Viktor Orban is jeopardizing Hungary’s position as a trusted NATO ally, the U.S. ambassador to Budapest warned on Thursday, with “its close and expanding relationship with Russia,” and with “dangerously unhinged anti-American messaging” in state-controlled media.
The ambassador, David Pressman, has for months criticized Mr. Orban for effectively siding with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russa over the war in Ukraine, but his latest remarks sharply ratcheted up tensions and indicated that trust in Hungary among NATO allies had collapsed.
Hungary is “an ally that behaves unlike any other” and is “alone on the defining issue of European security of the last quarter century, Russia’s war in Ukraine,” Mr. Pressman said in a speech in Budapest marking the 25th anniversary of Hungary’s admission to the Western military alliance.
“We will have to decide how best to protect our security interests, which, as allies, should be our collective security interests,” he added.
Persons:
Viktor Orban, “, David Pressman, Mr, Orban, Vladimir V, Putin, Russa, ” Mr, Pressman
Organizations:
NATO
Locations:
NATO, U.S, Budapest, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary