WSJ: According to a CIA document, Hungary considers the United States one of its top three enemies

According to a recently published CIA assessment, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said the US was among his party’s top three enemies, Fidesz – highlighting the deepening of old divisions between Washington and the NATO member state, which has further strengthened its ties to Russia. and China, writes the Wall Street Journal.

Victor OrbanPhoto: AGERPRES

According to a CIA document dated March 2, Orban included the United States among his main enemies during a February 22 meeting on political strategy to increase the level of anti-American rhetoric. It is possible that the United States may have observed the meeting of the ruling party, citing the US Embassy as a source in that note.

Orban did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A representative of the US Embassy in Budapest also could not be reached for comment.

The Pentagon and U.S. intelligence agencies are reviewing and evaluating the authenticity of the documents, the State Department said.

“US officials are discussing this matter with their allies and partners at the highest level, while we want to assure them of our commitment to self-defense of our information and its commitment to our security partnerships,” the statement said. “In principle, certain aspects of information, such as methods of obtaining it, are not a subject we discuss publicly.”

The Wall Street Journal has not been able to independently verify the authenticity of the leaked documents, which include those related to CIA findings, but they contain enough detail to be considered authentic. Several security officials have said they believe some of the documents may be genuine, although some of them are fake.

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After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Budapest became increasingly skeptical of Western priorities, including reducing dependence on Russian energy and sending military aid to Ukraine. However, the rhetoric of the meeting illustrates the extent of the long-standing problems between Hungary and the United States.

In Moscow, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijardo said on Tuesday that he had reached a new energy deal with Russia that would allow Budapest to import more Russian gas than agreed to in a long-term deal signed last year. Hungary criticized Western attempts to join a common front against China – which Budapest has been aggressively “courting” for years.

Earlier this year, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Hungary despite growing concerns from the United States about Chinese investment. Wang met with the Hungarian prime minister, now in his fifth term and who has ruled Hungary for half of the country’s post-communist history.

Budapest is the first EU capital to sign a so-called memorandum with Beijing on the Belt and Road infrastructure project, which will fund a Chinese-built railway linking the country with Serbia.

Hungary hosts Huawei Technologies Co’s largest hub. Outside of China, despite US pressure to ban this tech company. After kicking out the Central European University in Budapest, approved by the US and funded by liberal billionaire George Soros, Orban agreed to host Fudan University in Shanghai, whose campus would become the first Chinese university in the EU.

Hungary’s stance toward China has paid off for Budapest. Last year, Chinese company Contemporary Amberex Technology Co. Ltd. announced that it will build a battery factory in the eastern Hungarian city of Debrecen, a project that will cost 7 billion euros, equivalent to 7.5 billion dollars.

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Material produced with the support of the RADOR Agency

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