MOSCOW, December 24 (Sputnik) — In a year-end interview for Magyar Television on Tuesday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that the US is meddling in Central European countries' internal affairs, and attempting to draw Hungary into a harmful conflict with Russia.
"The United States does not simply interfere, but is an active participant in the internal political life of central European countries," Orban told Magyar Television's 'The Evening' program, Hungary's English-language political daily, Politics.hu reported.
Orban noted that Hungary's foreign policy position on the tense situation over Ukraine is mostly in line with that of Germany, and that countries need to work together with Russia instead of working against it in order to resolve conflict.
Orban was earlier criticized by US officials for his independent foreign policy position, Arizona Senator John McCain calling him a "neo-fascist dictator". Orban responded to the comments by saying that such remarks were "an attack on national independence." Orban had earlier earned the ire of Brussels and Washington back in August, when he said that the sanctions policy against Russia had 'shot Europe in the foot.'
Orban noted that the Americans' failed bid to build a nuclear power plant in Hungary was another factor in the straining of relations. He noted that the Hungarian-Russian construction and finance deal to build two new reactors at the Paks nuclear plant has been "painful" for Washington.
