Szijjarto: ‘Age of danger’, ‘humanity lurching from crisis to crisis’

A new world order is emerging following successive crises and the outcome is unknown, Szijjarto said, “but it’s almost certain Europe won’t have a stronger role than previously.”

Last year China’s GDP overtook that of the European Union, while the United States’ share of global GDP fell from 30 percent to 25 percent and EU’s dropped from 22 percent to 17 percent, the ministry quoted Szijjarto as saying. EU competitiveness is steadily decreasing, he added.

Also, Europe’s security environment is also more and more fragile, exacerbated by its “completely flawed” handling of the war in Ukraine, which, he said, globalised the conflict rather than isolating it. Growing arms deliveries prolong the war when talk should be of peace, he added.

Regarding migration, Szijjarto said Hungarian border guards now faced a new paradigm of criminal groups shooting at them from across the border with automatic weapons. “Brussels thinks we should let these people into Europe…” he said.

Meanwhile, calling Hungary a “meeting point of Eastern and Western economies”, he said it was in Hungary’s interest to forge “connections and cooperation” rather than succumb to attempts to stymie relations, “because this is the only way to effectively handle crises in the world.”

Underlining statements he made earlier, the minister said it was important to “speak clearly” about Israel’s right to self-defence. “Israel was hit by a … brutal terrorist attack, so now it is in the interest of the entire world to successfully fight against terrorism” while making sure this fight “does not turn into a war between countries”, as this would have “utterly unpredictable consequences in the Middle East”. He also reiterated concern about the future of the Abraham Accords, and underscored an earlier statement expressing worry about “anti-Semitism rearing its head in western Europe”.