Viktor Orban predicts, “For the coming many years, perhaps even centuries, Asia shall become a leading source of world power.”
Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary, made a prediction on Saturday that there will be a move of global power from the “irrational” West to Asia and Russia, as he said that Pakistan will emerge among the great powers of the world. “In maybe long decades, centuries to come Asia will be the centre of dominance in the world,” said Orban making mention of China, India and Indonesia as future world powers.
He claimed that “we westerners also pushed the Russians into this bloc” during a televised address to ethnic Hungarians at a festival in Baile Tusnad town situated in the neighboring country of Romania. He also noted how “hyper rationality” defined the Russian leadership while stressing that Ukraine’s dreams of joining NATO or the EU would never be realized.
Orban, who is the current president of the rotating EU presidency has taken a sharp differencing stance from others within this block by seeking to build warmer relationships with both Beijing and Moscow. This brought about tensions among EU leaders when he paid unannounced visits to Kyiv, Moscow and Beijing earlier this month to discuss issues relating with war in Ukraine. Speaking on behalf of Russian interests, he claimed that unlike West’s “weakness” as observed in world affairs was quite logical as well as predictable. The country was able to demonstrate their economic flexibility since 2014 after it invaded Crimea in obeying western sanctions.
In addition, he was quoted saying that Ukraine will never join the EU or Nato, because as he puts it “We Europeans do not have sufficient funds”. Moreover, Orban stated that “The EU must abandon its identity as a political project and become an economic and defense project.” However, last month membership discussions between the European Union and Ukraine kick-started but there is still quite a long way to go for this country to officially join the union.
Thus, the outcome of NATO summit held this month shows that the alliance considers Ukraine on ‘non-reversible’ way to become a member.
