Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Sijarto has accused Poland of hypocrisy, claiming that it secretly conducts billions of dollars in trade with Russia. Szijarto's statement at the Tranzit Festival was published by Zoltan Kovacs, a representative of the Hungarian government.
Points of attention
- Hungary accuses Poland of engaging in secret trade with Russia, leading to a conflict and highlighting hypocrisy in diplomatic relations.
- The tensions between Hungary and Poland reveal contrasting views on European policies, with accusations of anti-European sentiments and selfishness in diplomatic relations.
- The conflict underscores challenges in maintaining solidarity within the European Union and navigating complex international trade dynamics in the region.
- Hungary's Foreign Minister criticizes Poland for publicly denouncing trade with Russia while engaging in significant transactions with the country, intensifying the rift between the two nations.
- The accusations and responses from both sides demonstrate the complexities and sensitivities of diplomatic relations and international trade dynamics in Europe.
Hungary once again accused Poland of hypocrisy
Sijarto criticized the hypocrisy of some countries, particularly Poland, for "secretly continuing trade with Russia and publicly criticizing others for doing the same."
According to him, the volume of Poland's trade with Russia last year amounted to six billion euros, including significant purchases of Russian fertilizers and the sale of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.
Our Polish brothers are quietly doing the same, so they shouldn't criticize us for speaking openly and honestly about it.
Peter Sijarto
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary
He also criticized the European Union's response to the Nord Stream pipeline explosion, calling it an act of "state-sponsored terrorism" if a state was indeed involved. He emphasized that any response should be proportionate to the seriousness of such an attack.
🇭🇺 FM Szijjártó emphasized that efforts are underway to guarantee the country’s oil supply security in both the short and long term, ensuring continued cooperation with Russia, particularly concerning oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia.
— Zoltan Kovacs (@zoltanspox) August 24, 2024
💥 FM Szijjártó also criticized the… pic.twitter.com/uQaukOpD1l
The conflict between Hungary and Poland: what is known
During his visit to Romania, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that Poland is conducting a "hypocritical policy" and is also changing the balance of power in Europe.
They criticize us for our relations with Russia, while they themselves conduct business with it through intermediaries. I have never seen such hypocrisy on the part of the state.
For his part, Polish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Władysław Bartoszewski said that the policy of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is anti-European, anti-Ukrainian and anti-Polish.
And the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Radosław Sikorski, said that the "selfishness" of the Prime Minister of Hungary in relations with partners in the European Union left the country isolated and weakened.
