Sikorski's remarks came in a media interview published on Monday, amid ongoing tensions over Hungary's stance on Russia's war against Ukraine.
Orban has notably advanced Russia's cause by blocking EU budget agreements and aid to Ukraine while sharply criticizing the EU's policy towards Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
In July, Orban undertook unilateral "peace missions" to Moscow and Beijing as part of his country's rotating presidency of the EU, maintaining close relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Victor Orban and Vladimir Putin meet in Moscow on July 5, 2024. Photo: PAP/EPA/VALERIY SHARIFULIN/SPUTNIK/KREMLIN/POOL
EU member states have said Orban did not have a mandate to negotiate on their behalf.
Speaking in an interview with Visegrad Insight, Sikorski commented that Hungary's attempt to balance its relations between Moscow and Brussels has not increased its influence but rather "irritates everyone else."
Adding to the controversy, in a statement in Romania on Saturday, Orban accused Poland of indirectly conducting business with Russia.
The following day, Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Władysław Teofil Bartoszewski refuted Orban's claims and suggested that Hungary should leave the EU and form an alliance with Putin and other similar authoritarian states.
Władysław Teofil Bartoszewski. Photo: Polish Radio
In his Visegrad Insight interview, Sikorski also highlighted the broader security threats to Europe posed by Putin, including the deployment of assassination squads across Europe, cyber attacks, nuclear threats, energy blackmail, and the manipulation of refugee movements.
He argued that the defense against these threats should be a shared financial responsibility among EU countries.
Sikorski expressed frustration with Hungary's obstruction of funding from the European Peace Facility, an EU defense budget funded proportionally by the GDP of member states, which aims to modernize military forces.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP, visegradinsight.eu
