During his visit to Rome on Monday, October 27th, ahead of his meeting with Pope Leo and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told Italian outlet La Repubblica that he would discuss the issue of sanctions on Russian oil and gas with Donald Trump in an upcoming visit. The Hungarian PM stressed that the Hungarian economy is still dependent on Russian energy, and phasing it out completely would “push prices up to the sky.”
When asked about the war in Ukraine, Orbán stated “We have outsourced the ability to resolve the war to the Americans and Russians. Unfortunately, we have no role. Europe is completely out of the picture.” He said “the important point is the future of the European economy, because there is very little left to do about the war,” adding that he would focus on the issue of European competitiveness, especally in light of the damage done by green transition policies, and the strengthening of Italian-Hungarian economic cooperation in his meeting with Meloni.
Orbán was also received in audience by Pope Leo in the Vatican today, where he “asked His Holiness to support Hungary’s anti-war efforts.“
He later met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State. According to Italian news agency ANSA and the Holy See, during the “cordial meeting” solid bilateral relations were underlined, and Orbán expressed appreciation for the Catholic Church’s commitment to promoting the social development and well-being of the Hungarian community, with particular attention to the role of the family, the education and future of young people, as well as the importance of protecting the most vulnerable Christian communities. European issues, and in particular, the war in Ukraine, and the situation in the Middle East were also discussed.
Orbán was also received by the Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Fra’ John Dunlap, in the Magistral Villa on the Aventine Hill. Orbán expressed his full support and great appreciation for the activities of the Association and the Order’s Hungarian relief service. The Grand Master expressed gratitude to the Hungarian authorities for their continued support of the Order’s programs, which, in Hungary and around the world, work to protect human dignity and promote social inclusion.
“The world is slowly getting used to wars. Over the past two decades, military conflicts have flared up one after another across the globe: from the Caucasus to the Middle East, and now the three-year-old Russian-Ukrainian war…But as the world gets used to wars, they become more and more dangerous, like a fire on a scorching summer day. If we do nothing, sooner or later the flames will reach our country, our homes, and the future of our children,” the Hungarian prime minister wrote on Facebook before the meeting, stating that Hungary has “built an anti-war coalition,” and declaring
If we want to preserve peace in Hungary, we cannot swim with the Brussels mainstream.
