US ambassador responds to Hungary’s anti-US stance, reveals NATO concerns

Reflecting on Hungary’s foreign and domestic policies, U.S. Ambassador Pressman accuses Hungarian Prime Minister Orban of anti-American propaganda, growing ties with Russia, straining NATO relations

U.S. Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman has criticized the Hungarian government for its “dangerously unhinged anti-American messaging” and its growing ties with Russia.

Delivering a speech in Budapest on Thursday, marking Hungary’s 25th anniversary in NATO, Pressman didn’t mince words about the deteriorating relationship between the two nations.

“We cannot ignore it when the speaker of Hungary’s national assembly asserts that Putin’s war in Ukraine is actually ‘led by the United States,'” Pressman said, pointing to the stark dissonance in Hungary’s rhetoric.

He further stressed the contradiction in Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s characterization of the U.S. as its ‘top adversary,’ a stance that directly conflicts with their allied status.

Pressman’s speech comes amid escalating tensions, particularly in light of Hungary’s reluctance to support Ukraine and its decision to delay Sweden’s NATO accession.

According to Pressman, this behavior is causing significant strain in relations with the U.S. and other NATO allies. He unequivocally stated, “While the Orban government may want to wait out the United States government, the United States will certainly not wait out the Orban administration.”

The ambassador’s comments also focused on Orban’s domestic policies, especially the government’s handling of independent media and nongovernmental organizations and its influence over judicial independence.

“Independent media in Hungary gets labeled opposition media. Independent non-governmental organizations get labeled political partisans,” Pressman noted, underscoring the challenges facing democratic institutions in Hungary.

Orban’s recent visit to the U.S., where he met former President Donald Trump, has also sparked controversy.

Pressman criticized Orban’s dual stance, stating, “Orban, who on one hand baselessly claims that the United States government is trying to overthrow his government, publicly calls for the political defeat of the president of the United States and actively participates in US partisan political events.”

Source: Newsroom