Viktor Orbán’s position on Ukraine’s European Union accession is perceived to be influenced by the strictness of the European Commission towards Hungary, a sentiment not demonstrated towards other Member States, according to Giorgia Meloni, the Prime Minister of Italy. She expressed this view during her address to the European heads of state and government at the upcoming summit in the Roman Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday evening.

Meloni emphasized her familiarity with the views of the Hungarian Prime Minister, which diverge from those she holds concerning Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. However, she noted that, in her opinion,

the inflexibility and strictness of the European Commission have led to the Hungarian Prime Minister’s perspectives.

Meloni elucidated that her government stands on the side of Kyiv, but she cautioned that the solution does not solely rest on financial support for Ukraine. She also emphasized the need to consider the consequences of the war, as support for the conflict has already lost ground in European public opinion.

Referring to her predecessor, Mario Draghi, who handed over the prime ministerial seat to Giorgia Meloni in October of the previous year, Meloni mentioned that in June 2022, Draghi travelled by train to Kyiv with the French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. A photograph of the three leaders in the train compartment was taken during the journey.

‘Some perceive foreign policy as taking a joint photo with France and Germany, but they bring no results home. Europe is not composed of three Members States but 27, and contact must be maintained with everyone: I speak with Germany, France, and also with Hungary. That’s how I perform my political work effectively,’ she responded to a query from Lia Quartapelle, a representative of the left-wing Democratic Party (PD) and chair of the lower house’s foreign affairs committee.

Quartapelle urged Meloni to choose between Europe and Orbán, arguing that one cannot simultaneously be a friend of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine and Orbán Viktor.

Giorgia Meloni affirmed Rome’s support for the EU accession of candidate countries Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as their similar aspirations for Georgia.

Regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Italian Prime Minister stressed the necessity of preventing further weakening of the Palestinian National Authority, as without it, the post-conflict political and social reconstruction would be challenging to initiate. Meloni added that the strongest protection must be provided to Jewish communities, which are increasingly threatened by the surging waves of antisemitism.

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Sources: Hungarian Conservative/MTI