ANNOUNCEMENT


Worship with us @ Mountain of Fire Miracles Ministries, Budapest, Hungary Address: 1081 Bp II János Pál Pápa tér 2 (formerly Köztársaság tér) Direction: From Blaha, take tram 28, 28A, 37, 37A, 62...1 stop. From the traffic light cross to the other side... Or take Metro 4 & get off @ János Pál Pápa tér
Time of worship: Wednesdays @ 18:30 hr Sundays @ 10:30 hr
Tel: +36 203819155 or +36 202016005

God bless


Thursday 2 February 2017

POLITICS

Hungary's Orban and ally Putin cement closer ties
Peter Murphy & Maria Pania

Putin & Viktor
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban cemented closer ties at talks Thursday, amid growing EU rifts over sanctions against Moscow because of its meddling in Ukraine. The Budapest meeting with the right-wing Orban -- who wants the European Union to lift its punitive measures -- was Putin's first visit to a bloc member since the shock election of US President Donald Trump in November.


Experts said Trump's ascendancy and the wave of populism sweeping across Europe is emboldening the two strongmen to push harder against the EU.

At a joint press conference with Putin, Orban denounced what he called "a strong anti-Russian atmosphere" in the West.

"Anti-Russian policies have become fashionable in the West," he said.

But "the world is in the process of a substantial realignment and we believe that this realignment will create more favourable conditions for the EU-Russia," Orban added.

"It's hard to foresee global economic prosperity without Russia."

Putin meanwhile hailed Hungary as an "important and reliable partner for Russia in Europe".

- Close ties with Putin -

The Kremlin hopes that Trump's apparent affinity for Putin will lead to a thaw in frosty ties between Moscow and Washington.

Relations have plunged to a post-Cold War low over Ukraine where violence again escalated this week despite a December ceasefire.

The Eurosceptic Orban -- one of the few leaders to publicly support Trump -- enjoys close ties with Putin but has yet to break ranks with the EU and formally oppose the sanctions imposed on the Russian economy for the last three years.

"Orban will take a step closer to Putin in terms of rhetoric due to a change in the international context," said political analyst Andras Deak in Budapest.

EU sanctions were extended in December until the end of July 2017, despite some nations increasingly questioning their impact.

Brussels' focus on maintaining unity on Russia sanctions could take a backseat as fears mount that Trump's policies pose a major threat to the already bickering bloc and nationalist parties gear up for elections in the Netherlands, France and Germany.

Thursday's discussions included Russia's planned expansion of Hungary's only nuclear power plant and other energy issues, with Budapest highly dependent on Russian gas imports.

"We are ready to finance the expansion 100 percent," Putin said on Thursday.

Construction of two 1,200 megawatt reactors at the Paks plant outside Budapest has been viewed sceptically by the European Commission, which is yet to give its green light to the project.

- 'Disrupt' EU and NATO -

Ahead of the visit, the Kremlin said the visit "bears witness to the personal ties and confidence" between Orban and Putin.

The pair have met regularly over the past six years and Orban was the first European leader to welcome Putin after his annexation of the Black Sea Crimea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.

While state media hailed the new meeting as a sign of Hungary's key role in improving East-West relations, the left-leaning news website 444.hu said Putin was counting on Orban to help "disrupt the (EU and NATO) from the inside".

Orban said last month that Trump's aggressively nationalist push signalled a welcome move away from the "illusion of federalism" to a "bilateral" era, notably in economic and military matters.

Thursday's visit took place amid a sudden uptick in bloodshed in eastern Ukraine, with at least 20 people killed in recent days.

Russia and Ukraine lashed out at each other, with Kiev saying one of its planes was shot at over the Black Sea during what Moscow called a "dangerous flyby".

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Thursday also warned he wants to hold a referendum on his country joining NATO, in comments bound to further irk Moscow.

The conflict has claimed nearly 10,000 lives since 2014, more than half of them civilians.

The Kremlin denies backing the insurgents in eastern Ukraine and only admits that Russian "volunteers" and off-duty soldiers have entered the war zone of their own free will.


"Ukrainian authorities are not ready to apply the terms" of the 2015 Minsk peace accords, Putin said Thursday.

SOURCE: Newsweek

No comments:

Post a Comment

COPYRIGHT

COVER STORY

MY SMALL VOICE COLUMN

MY SMALL VOICE COLUMN
Odd jobs stacked against EU immigrants

COLUMN: MY SMALLVOICE

COLUMN: MY SMALLVOICE
TV2's false report about Nigerians in Hungary

MY SMALL VOICE

MY SMALL VOICE
Remembering a true prophet, Bob Marley...click on photo to read

MY SMALL VOICE

MY SMALL VOICE
Subsidising fraud & lies & blood...click on photo to read

MY SMALL VOICE:

MY SMALL VOICE:
Libya: The return of colonialist bondage.

Editor's Mail

Love the article on Gaddafi
We must rise above tribalism & divide & rule of the colonialist who stole & looted our treasure & planted their puppets to lord it over us..they alone can decide on whosoever is performing & the one that is corrupt..but the most corrupt nations are the western countries that plunder the resources of other nations & make them poorer & aid the rulers to steal & keep such ill gotten wealth in their country..yemen,syria etc have killed more than gadhafi but its not A̷̷̴ good investment for the west(this is laughable)because oil is not in these countries..when obasanjo annihilated the odi people in rivers state, they looked away because its in their favour & interest..one day! Samosa Iyoha

Hello from
Johannesburg
I was amazed to find a website for Africans in Hungary.
Looks like you have quite a community there. Here in SA we have some three million Zimbabweans living in exile and not much sign of going home ... but in Hungary??? Hope to meet you on one of my trips to Europe; was in Steirmark Austria near the Hungarian border earlier this month. Every good wish for 2011. Geoff in Jo'burg

I'm impressed by
ANH work but...
Interesting interview...
I think from what have been said, the Nigerian embassy here seem to be more concern about its nationals than we are for ourselves. Our complete disregard for the laws of Hungary isn't going to help Nigeria's image or going to promote what the Embassy is trying to showcase. So if the journalists could zoom-in more focus on Nigerians living, working and studying here in Hungary than scrutinizing the embassy and its every move, i think it would be of tremendous help to the embassy serving its nationals better and create more awareness about where we live . Taking the issues of illicit drugs and forged documents as typical examples.. there are so many cases of Nigerians been involved. But i am yet to read of it in e.news. So i think if only you and your journalists could write more about it and follow up on the stories i think it will make our nationals more aware of what to expect. I wouldn't say i am not impressed with your work but you need to be more of a two way street rather than a one way street . Keep up the good work... Sylvia

My comment to the interview with his excellency Mr. Adedotun Adenrele Adepoju CDA a.i--

He is an intelligent man. He spoke well on the issues! Thanks to Mr Hakeem Babalola for the interview it contains some expedient information.. B.Ayo Adams click to read editor's mail
Watch live streaming video from saharareporters at livestream.com

Popular Posts

Our Blog List