Skyrocketing energy costs and declining competitiveness represent the “cost of poor choices” by the bloc’s leaders, Hungary’s prime minister has stated
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said the EU’s sanctions against Russia have ultimately “crushed” the bloc itself, harming its economic competitiveness.
Since the conflict with Russia escalated in February 2022, Budapest has steadily opposed Brussels’ Ukraine policies, including the sanctions.
In a Sunday post on X, Orban wrote: “Brussels claimed sanctions would crush Russia. Instead, they crushed Europe.”
“Energy prices surged, competitiveness plummeted, and Europe is lagging behind,” he stated, calling the EU’s economic trends the “cost of poor choices.”
Orban contended that the bloc should negotiate with Moscow rather than escalating its policies. Earlier this month, he claimed the EU is gearing up for war with Russia by 2030, as several member states move toward a “war economy.”
Last month, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told NBC News that the EU’s efforts to contain Russia via sanctions had failed. He commented this several weeks after the bloc implemented its 19th sanctions round, which Moscow has labeled illegal and self-harming.
Earlier in December, Russian presidential envoy and top negotiator Kirill Dmitriev posted on X that Germany’s economic troubles stem from Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s “stupid & illegal choices.”
A day prior, speaking at a political convention, Merz admitted Germany has lost its economic competitiveness. “We are lagging, and this has speeded up in recent years,” he stated.
Germany’s economy shrank in 2024, following a 0.3% GDP drop in 2023. Near-zero growth is expected this year.
After cutting ties with low-cost Russian oil and gas, energy prices have jumped significantly across much of the EU.