Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the leader of the national-conservative Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) met in the Hungarian capital last week, with both politicians—both of whom have long called for peace talks between Ukraine, the collective West, and Russia—reaffirming their demands.
The meeting took place on Thursday, March 9th, when FPÖ members Federal Chairman Herbert Kickl, Salzburg leader Marlene Svazek, and Secretary General Christian Hafenecker convened with Prime Minister Orbán for talks at the Carmelite Monastery of Buda, which serves as the prime minister’s office, Kronen Zeitung reports.
Following the gathering, which Kickl described as “constructive” and “excellent,” the FPÖ chief took to social media to report:
Regarding the Russia/Ukraine war, we agreed that a ceasefire and peace talks are needed immediately because the danger of further escalation is constantly increasing.
Austrian opposition leader Kickl praised Orbán, referring to him as a “great politician,” whether “in the fight against illegal migration or in his efforts to bring peace to Ukraine. The political class in the European Union,” the FPÖ chief continued, would do well to “take a leaf out of [Orbán’s] book,” but instead choose to attack him.
Kickl also slammed the European Union’s sanctions, arguing that they have “led to unprecedented price increases across Europe. If there was peace and these unnecessary sanctions were lifted, inflation would also drop immediately,” he added.
Kickl, who according to the latest opinion leads the most popular party in Austria, lauded the Hungarian government’s fight against illegal migration, referring to its actions as “exemplary.”
“The EU should finally get into gear and take appropriate measures to protect the EU’s external borders. This also includes funding for the construction of border fences,” Kickl stressed.
MP Balazs Orbán, who serves as the prime minister’s political director, was also present and echoed earlier statements made by Kickl, writing on social media that Fidesz and FPÖ “welcome the strategic cooperation between Hungary & Austria in combating illegal migration and urge the EU Commission to take action against the growing migration pressure at the EU’s external borders.”
At the moment, according to the latest opinion polls, the FPÖ is, by a substantial margin, Austria’s most popular party. If elections were held today, the party would garner some 31% of the national vote.
