Andrew Korybko
There was nothing subservient or compromising about it,
rather, it was full of self-assurance and mutual benefit
Hungary’s latest Russiagate
scandal concerns a leaked recording of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s call with
Putin, the transcript of which
was translated and published by Bloomberg. They also summarized it in their
more widely known report here with
the sensationalist headline that “Orban
Offered to Be ‘Mouse’ Aiding ‘Lion’ in Call With Putin” in response to him
referencing one of Aesop’s Fables. This misleadingly suggested subservience and
lent false credence to claims that he’s compromised.
The reality is that Orban’s
call with Putin, just
like Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto’s with Sergey Lavrov that was
also misportrayed as part of a Russiagate scandal just before their political
opponents did so with this one, was a masterclass in leadership. Far from what
the abovementioned title of Bloomberg’s most popular summarized report of the
transcript implied, Orban wasn’t subserviating himself to Putin but helping
Trump organize the US leader’s proposed American-Russian Summit in Budapest.
It was in this context that
Orban referenced Aesop’s Fable about the mouse and the lion to emphasize that
“I can help in any way” in likely allusion to the help that Putin had already
hitherto provided to Hungary through continued Russian energy supplies for
maintaining economic stability. Orban then echoed Putin’s praise of Trump’s
negotiating style. Then conversation than ended with Orban asking Putin how
he’s been doing in general, after which he said thank you and good-bye in
Russian.
All of this was masterful because it showed Orban’s unique role in facilitating the Russian-US “New Détente” that Putin and Trump want, he praised Putin and Trump in equal measure, and went further with Putin through his humorous reference and speaking Russian. That’s how a real leader should behave when speaking to his counterparts from more globally influential countries. There was nothing subservient or compromising about it, rather, it was full of self-assurance and mutual benefit.






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