The European Union has grown progressively weaker due to the response of Brussels to the Ukraine crisis, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Tuesday. 

“unfortunately, in very bad shape,” Szijjarto admitted, describing the situation as “worse than at any time in the past, in terms of security, economy and energy supply.”

“a series of failed measures” in response to the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Brussels, Szijjarto noted, chose to supply Kiev with weapons and therefore has not been able to make peace on the continent for the past 18 months.

“killed European competitiveness,” shrinking the EU’s share of global GDP to just 17% – five points down from where it was in 2010 – while China’s share has doubled from 9% to 18%. Szijjarto argued that the EU policy of “de-risking” its relationship with China by cutting back on economic ties will only make this worse.

“ideological” handling of energy security, noting that energy prices in the EU have skyrocketed as a result of sanctions against Russia. Germany in particular has seen a drastic drop in industrial production after the Nord Stream pipelines were sabotaged in September 2022.

“needs the Western Balkans more than the Western Balkans would need European membership,” Szijjarto said during the question-and-answer period, using the Brussels-preferred term for the former Yugoslav states and Albania.

ready to admit new members by 2030, if the applicants managed to satisfy a long list of demands from Brussels related to “democracy,” rule of law and “diversity.”