Putin exploits NATO weakness with Hungary deal as he plots to CUT EU gas before invasion

Viktor Orban hits out at EU over coronavirus vaccine roll out

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

Hungary’s Prime Minister, Victor Orban, had put in a request for Russia to ramp up natural gas deliveries to the country after talks with Mr Putin. It comes as gas prices in Europe skyrocketed after the Russian President slashed gas volumes travelling into the bloc. But while Mr Putin diverts gas away from the West, Hungary appears to have snatched up an attractive deal.

Moscow is now ready to boost gas supplies to Hungary from 4.5 billion to 5.5 billion cubic meters per year, it was revealed at the joint conference between the two leaders.

But this comes as Russia looks poised to invade Ukraine, with 100,000 troops reportedly piled up at the Russia-Ukraine border.

Mr Putin has said that he is prepared to back down if NATO prevents Ukraine from joining its alliance.

NATO is the military alliance set up in 1949 by the US, the UK, Canada, France, and eight other European nations.

Now with at least 30 members, Ukraine has been eager to join up.

It has had a partnership with the alliance since 1992, but is keen to strengthen its international military support and draw its ties closer to Europe.

This is something Russia has been vehemently against, and views this as a direct threat.

While Hungary is officially a NATO member, Mr Orban has shown a willingness to support Russian foreign policy – in a move that threatens to undermine its pact with the West.

Hungarian Defence Minister Tibor Benko said on Monday that NATO troops were not needed in his conutry amid the soaring Ukraine tension after the UK offered.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said that it is “important to signal to Putin that the very thing he fears, that is, more NATO close to Russia, would be the consequence of invading Ukraine.

“This is why the UK offered NATO more ground forces, more readiness as a deterrent.”

But Mr Benko poured cold water on the offer, claiming that Hungary is able “to perform this task on its own” territory.

Mr Orban has even been dubbed Mr Putin’s “trojan horse”.

Daniel Hegedus, from the German Marshall Fund of the United States, told DW: “This is the 11th personal meeting between Putin and Orban and the timing of this one sends a symbolic message to Putin, because it shows him that not every EU nation has shunned him over the crisis in Ukraine.

“A similar meeting also took place after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, triggering questions if Hungary was like the Kremlin’s Trojan horse in the West.”

DON’T MISS 
Solar storm set to strike Earth TODAY [REPORT] 
Archaeology: Nazi U-boat wreck ‘beats Tutankhamun’ [REVEAL] 
Biden on red alert as North Korea release space missile test pics [INSIGHT]

Mr Orban has also not been shy to slam EU sanctions slapped down on Russia, although he has not vetoed them.

The two leaders have met regularly since Mr Orban was first sworn into office back in 2010, with energy supplies being a key focus of discussions.

Russia’s nuclear energy giant, Rosatom, has even provided a €10billion (£8.34billion) loan to build the two power plants for Hungary’s Paks.

But while a Russian invasion of Ukraine could be on the cards, an attack may be pushed back.

That is because the country is dealing with a massive wave of Covid infections which could lead to a delay.

Russia reported 648 Covid deaths in the past 24 hours today (February 2), a record daily number.

Brandon Weichert, author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, told Express.co.uk said this may put Russia’s plans in tatters.

He said: “It is possible that COVID infects and propagates the troops which could impact their fighting capabilities.

“If it’s February 20 (the invasion date), given the propagation time for COVID-19, that could harm Russian warfighting capabilities if a large number of their troops deployed to Ukraine come down with the illness.

He added that Russia might be forced to wait until the summer to invade as the warmer weather “might help to mitigate any risk of COVID”.

Source: Read Full Article

Previous post How to get an extra £500 a year by avoiding this common pension mistake
Next post Winners of International Landscape Photographer of the Year revealed