Vladimir Putin loses his Trojan horse in the European Union with Viktor Orbans defeat in Hungary, says Jean

Since returning to power in 2010, Viktor Orban has clashed multiple times with the European Commission, which accused Hungary of not respecting the treaties signed upon its accession in 2004.

“Vladimir Putin loses his Trojan horse in the European Union” with Viktor Orban’s defeat in Hungary, declared French Minister of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, urging his successor to raise the Hungarian veto in support of Ukraine. “It is a defeat for Viktor Orban, as well as for a number of his supporters in the international shareholder front, especially Vladimir Putin, who loses his Trojan horse in the European Union,” said Jean-Noël Barrot on RFI radio.

“What we expect from his successor Peter Magyar is to do what he said, rebuild a number of pillars of the rule of law that Viktor Orban had dismantled, bring Hungary back to its place in the European family of nations, raise a number of unjustified vetoes,” added the minister.

Hungary has cultivated good relations with powers that aim to weaken the European bloc. “Regarding our support for Ukraine, the policy Viktor Orban pursued constituted an obstacle that we are happy to see lifted,” he added, referring to the regular vetoes that the Hungarian leader opposed to EU initiatives to help the country invaded by Russia.

Since coming back to power in 2010, Viktor Orban has engaged in clashes with the European Commission, accused of disregarding the treaties signed by Hungary upon its accession in 2004. This deviation undermines checks and balances and individual freedoms, which has intensified since Budapest blocked the common policy to help Ukraine following its invasion by Russia in 2022.

Hungary maintains good relations with powers seeking to weaken the bloc, such as the United States under Donald Trump, China, and Russia, from which it continues to purchase hydrocarbons. Regarding Moscow, media have published excerpts of phone conversations showing the support of outgoing Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto to his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, while seated in Brussels.