On 16 December, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán mailed a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, demanding Moscow consider EU votes on frozen assets, and received a stern response.
Orbán Sends Letter to Putin
During a flight to Brussels for the EU summit, Viktor Orbán announced he had sent a formal letter to Vladimir Putin. The letter asked the Russian leader how Moscow would react if the EU used frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine and whether it would pay attention to the upcoming EU vote.
Kremlin’s Reply: Decisive Action and Watchful Eye
Orbán reported that Russia replied saying it would take decisive measures, but it would also consider how EU members voted during the summit. The comment came from political commentator Daniel Deak.
Orbán Opposes Use of Frozen Assets
Orbán made clear that he does not support using Russia’s frozen reserves for Ukraine, viewing it as an escalation of the conflict. This stance was conveyed to the portal mandiner.hu.
Danger in Seizing Russian Reserves
In an interview with the pro‑government weekly “Mandiner,” Orbán warned that taking and using Russian reserves against citizens would essentially amount to war, calling it a breach of the EU’s legal foundation.
EU’s Freeze of 210 Billion Euros
On 12 December, the EU moved to permanently freeze about €210 billion of Russian assets, using extraordinary economic measures and a simple majority vote, despite Hungarian opposition. The decision will be finalized at this week’s Brussels summit.
