Hungary to Protect National Interests in Ties with Russia, US - PM

        By Margit Feher
        BUDAPEST--Hungary wants to protect its economic and political relationship with Russia and hopes to improve its ties with the U.S., but not at the cost of giving up its national interests, the prime minister said Friday.
        "Hungary's interest is to keep away, amid the developing cold war sentiment, which is against our will, from any conflict that's not our conflict, and we shouldn't allow being drawn into these conflicts," Viktor Orban said in his regular, biweekly interview on state radio.
        "This is tough because we are an ally at the same time and solidarity is expected from us. We need to be a good ally with the European Union and with the U.S. through NATO, while we don't want to be dragged neither by the Russians nor by the U.S. into the developing cold war situation," the Hungarian premier said.
        Hungary's economic ties with Russia are under threat, he said, adding that the country must maintain cooperation with Moscow; regarding the relationship with the U.S., it "has been better," he added.
        Budapest's military and economic ties with the U.S. are "exemplary but now some bad things have come to the forefront," he said. Hungary hopes to improve the relationship "but we won't let any national interest and our sovereignty be questioned," Mr. Orban said. Washington has imposed a visa ban on several Hungarian state officials for alleged involvement in corruption, creating a diplomatic quagmire with the U.S.
        Mr. Orban confirmed that German Chancellor Angela Merkel is scheduled to visit Budapest in one-day trip on Feb. 2, and called his political opponents to "come to their senses" as to their expectations from Ms. Merkel's visit.
        Hungary's opposition parties have voiced hopes that Germany may want to limit Mr. Orban's policies that critics have often termed as increasingly authoritarian.
        Russian President Vladimir Putin is also to visit Budapest this year, Mr. Orban said
        Write to Margit Feher at margit.feher@wsj.com; @margitfeher
        (END) Dow Jones Newswires

        January 09, 2015 03:22 ET (08:22 GMT)

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