Hungary snubs US senators – ambassador — RT World News

Washington's envoy to Hungary said senior Hungarian officials refused to meet four US senators who arrived in Budapest on Sunday. US lawmakers are trying to pressure Prime Minister Viktor Orban to speed up approval of Sweden's accession to NATO.

US Ambassador David Pressman said that the delegation sought to meet a group of senior government officials and representatives of the ruling Fidesz party. But the Hungarians refused despite the group's presence “The highest bipartisan delegation in the US Congress” The diplomat added that they had visited the country in recent years.

The Associated Press reported that senators intend to submit a joint resolution to the US Congress condemning Hungary for its alleged democratic decline. One of the visiting lawmakers, Thom Tillis, urged Orban to speed up Sweden's accession, claiming in a press conference that doing so would amount to… “A great service to freedom-loving nations around the world.”

Chris Murphy, another delegate, called for a boycott “Strange and disturbing” She identified Orban as standing in the way of ratification. Hungary is the only NATO country that has not yet approved Sweden's membership in the US-led military bloc.

“We are wise enough in terms of politics here to know that if Prime Minister Orbán wants it to happen, Parliament can go ahead,” he added. Murphy said.

Orban touched on the issue of NATO expansion during a rally on Saturday, saying Budapest and Stockholm were on their way to doing so. “Rebuild trust.” He suggested that the vote take place during the spring parliamentary session.

The prime minister had previously cited Swedish criticism of his government and Hungary's democratic credentials as the main reasons for skepticism among lawmakers in Budapest. NATO approved Sweden's application to join in June 2022.

The US anti-Hungarian decision will criticize Orban for maintaining good relations with Russia and China, according to the Associated Press. Budapest has “Resistant and mitigated” The text reportedly provides for EU sanctions imposed on Moscow.

Orban is one of the most vocal critics of the Western approach to dealing with the Ukrainian crisis. He said that arming Kiev and restrictions on Russia failed to end the bloodshed and caused significant economic damage to the European Union. He also resisted Ukraine's efforts to join NATO and the European Union.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó said it was “It is not worth trying to pressure us because we are a sovereign state.” He expressed general approval of the American visit on Friday.