Orbán's Ukraine blockade: Zelensky gets personal
Tensions are rising in the row between Kyiv and Budapest. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has sharply condemned Hungary's ongoing blockade of a 90-billion-euro loan, and ironically warned he would give the contact details of this "one person" to the Ukrainian military "so that they can call him and speak to him in their own language".
Red line crossed
Security policy expert Péter Tarjányi warns on Facebook:
“Radical nationalist groups have been operating in Ukraine for years, keeping so-called 'death lists' of politicians and public figures. One such database is Myrotvorets. So Zelensky is by no means joking or being ironic. His message could easily push a political conflict in the wrong direction. You can argue. You can exert political pressure. But talking about the head of government of an EU and Nato member state in this way is simply not acceptable, especially in times of war.”
Unintended campaign support
Zelensky's verbal attacks against Orbán are backfiring, writes European Pravda:
“Zelensky's comments about Orbán are apt, sometimes even funny, very personal and show no regard for red lines. The problem, however, is that Orbán is exploiting these statements coming from Ukraine. In Hungary, which is preparing for elections, he is the only one benefiting from this. Every time Zelensky says Orbán should lose the election, the Hungarian government's arguments are strengthened without Ukraine achieving any advantages. Furthermore, Kyiv's actions fail to take into account a scenario (still entirely possible!) in which Viktor Orbán remains in power in Hungary.”
Budapest's provocations are having the desired effect
Telex examines how it came to this escalation:
“The deterioration in relations did not, of course, begin just now. Even before that, the Fidesz government had cast Ukrainian President Zelensky in the role of foreign villain for the election campaign. The fact that oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline which runs through Ukraine were then halted at the end of January provided additional ammunition for this. ... If Orbán and his people are pursuing a strategy of provoking the Ukrainians until they do or say something that makes them look even more like villains in a comic book, it seems to be working.”