BUDAPEST, December 22. /TASS/. The sanctions imposed against Russia destroyed Europe, even though they were introduced with the aim of crushing Russia, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said.

"Brussels promised the sanctions would crush Russia. Instead, they crushed Europe. Energy prices exploded, competitiveness collapsed, and Europe is falling behind," the prime minister wrote on his X page.

Orban emphasized that this is the price of poor decision-making and that negotiations are needed, not an escalation of the situation.

Since the beginning of the Ukrainian conflict, the Hungarian government has consistently advocated for its swift settlement exclusively through peaceful means. Orban has repeatedly noted that military action in Ukraine and Western sanctions against Russia have damaged the Hungarian economy by between 20 and 30 billion euros.