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EU sanctions against Russia benefit China and harm Europe, says Hungary’s Orban

The head of the Hungarian government stated that the anti-Russia restrictions had generally failed to reach their goal because they didn’t help resolve the situation in Ukraine

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban EPA-EFE/JOHANNA GERON/POOL

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban

© EPA-EFE/JOHANNA GERON/POOL

VIENNA, July 15. /TASS/. The Russia-targeted sanctions have dealt China a winning hand while hurting Europe, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday.

When talking to the Kossuth radio station, the head of the Hungarian government stated that the anti-Russia restrictions had generally failed to reach their goal because they didn’t help resolve the situation in Ukraine. "China is winning, America is not losing and Europe is suffering," Orban said, commenting on the sanctions that had triggered an energy crisis in the Eurozone, making it possible for China to get more Russian commodities at discounted prices.

As for the economic situation in Europe, Orban pointed out that "European politics shot itself in the lungs and not in the foot, so it’s suffocating now" due to energy shortages. "There will be no gas in some countries, while other countries will have gas, but it will be very expensive," the Hungarian prime minister warned.

The Hungarian authorities earlier announced plans to boost domestic gas production, expand gas imports, impose a temporary ban on the export of certain energy resources, raise coal output and extend the lifespan of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant, which was built on Soviet technologies and operates on Russian nuclear fuel.

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