The European Union was born as a peace project; it must not die as a war project.

“Strengthening the European defence industry is a shared objective; however, defence autonomy cannot be built on a Ukraine that is at war. Strong defence does not serve preparations for war, but is a tool for maintaining peace,” emphasized György Hölvényi, Member of the European Parliament for the Christian Democratic People’s Party (KDNP), during the plenary debate on the annual report of the Committee on Security and Defence Policy.

The MEP underlined: “It is a fact that Russia has launched a war, and Ukraine has the indisputable right to defend itself and to seek international support for this purpose. However, none of this may result in the destruction of the European economy, nor may it jeopardize the livelihoods of European citizens,” he stated.

György Hölvényi highlighted that Hungary is responsibly and consistently developing its military capabilities and is acting as a reliable NATO member. Proof of this is that, for example, last year Hungary provided airspace protection for the Baltic states for the fourth time, actively contributing to collective defence.

The security and defence policy report attacks Hungary because it consistently rejects the logic of war. “Our position is clear and unequivocal: we do not want more Ukrainian and Russian deaths, and we do not want war in Europe,” the MEP stated.

The KDNP Member of the European Parliament pointed out that ten years ago – albeit at different levels – balanced EU relations existed with the United States, Russia, and China. Today, these relationships no longer function properly in any direction. According to Hölvényi, strengthening the defence industry should serve not the deepening of confrontation, but the direct and indirect restoration of these relations, as well as forward-looking cooperation.

“The European Union was born as a peace project. I would not want it to die as a war project,” György Hölvényi concluded his address.