Echoing France's Macron, Hungary's president says Europe must take care of 'our own interests'

By Semir Sejfovic

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (AA) – Hungary’s president, known as one of the most outspoken EU heads of state, on Friday lent support to French President Emmanuel Macron’s remarks that Europe should not become a "vassal" of the United States.

"The French president is looking for potential partners and not enemies, which is similar to the Hungarian position: we must start from our own interests, not take into account the interests of others," said Viktor Oban in a weekly radio address. "It is necessary to think through whether the American foreign policy interests coincide with the European ones.”

On the heels of a visit to Beijing, Macron last week stressed that Europe should not blindly follow the US into a rising dispute with China over Taiwan. Being an ally does not mean being a "vassal," he said, or being dragged into disputes which Europeans doesn’t want to get involved in.

Though drawing fire from both sides of the Atlantic, Macron’s comments are being embraced by some and finding allies among other EU member leaders.

Orban's support for Macron's stance further highlights a disunited foreign policy among the 27-member EU bloc.

Orban said while he respects Macron, he stressed the differences in Hungary's vision, which includes a "Christian renaissance." The two leaders met in Paris last month, where Macron emphasized the need for European "unity" on the Ukraine war. Orban said in his weekly address: "President Macron is honorable, but he does not imagine the future of Europe in the same way as Hungary."

The US recently levied sanctions against a Russian-led bank in the capital Budapest, leading Hungary to withdraw from the International Investment Bank. Orban said the sanctions made the bank's operation impossible, adding that Hungary supports peace in Ukraine and that the US is "the biggest supporter of the war" in Ukraine.

The US ambassador in Budapest has expressed concerns about Hungary's eagerness to deepen ties with Russia. Orban, who fostered close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin before the war, has been criticized by both EU and NATO allies for his neutral stance on the war.