According to a report from Bloomberg, several US senators, including the head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ben Cardin, are calling on the White House to consider imposing sanctions on Hungary.
Cardin’s Concerns
Cardin notes that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is the «least reliable» ally of NATO, which is causing growing discontent among partners. He condemns Orban’s delay in providing macro-financial assistance to Ukraine from the European Union, as well as the delay in approving Sweden’s entry into NATO.
Senator’s Views
Cardin believes that the White House should consider the possibility of imposing sanctions and cancelling the visa-free regime for Hungarian citizens, given this behavior. Two more senators, Democrat Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Thom Tillis, expressed the opinion that Orban risks «irreversibly damaging» Hungary’s relations with the US and NATO if he does not support Sweden’s entry into the alliance.
European Discontent
These statements further amplify European discontent with Orban, who questions the West’s commitment to protecting Ukraine from Russia and maintains ties with Moscow. In a joint statement, the senators noted that «both time and patience are running out» due to Hungary’s inaction on Sweden’s NATO accession.
