Boka advocates ‘EU financing its own Ukraine strategy’

Quoting from his interview, Boka said on Facebook that the Hungarian government had proposed strategic negotiations concerning the EU’s Ukrainian policy because “the earlier strategy, based on the assumption that Ukraine would win on the battleground and that would bring about a political change in Russia, has not worked and we have to adapt to that.”

The Hungarian government, he said, proposed “a more conservative planning approach” than the European Commission’s proposal of granting Ukraine financing for four years ahead. Shorter periods, with a review at the end of each, would be necessary, he said. Hungary has also proposed that EU members and international financiers should volunteer to set up a special fund, he added.

Meanwhile, Boka said it was in Hungary’s strategic interest “to have a stable entity between Hungary and Russia, an entity which is as committed as possible to European structures.”

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine could only be resolved politically, “there being no military solution”, Boka said, and he underlined Hungary’s call for an immediate ceasefire and talks between the parties.

Boka said there was no connection between the cause of European aid to Ukraine and issues around frozen EU funds. “We fully comply with the rules enabling us to receive the European funds due to Hungary,” he said.

Concerning the Hungarian prime minister, Boka said Viktor Orbán was “one of the most important conservative points of reference in Europe, irrespective of which party group his Fidesz party joins.”