At us, the nation’s interest is above all else!

In Central and Eastern Europe, they dare to rebel against the adoption of crazy ideas.

Previously, a leader came into the crosshairs if they acted against the interests of their own country, if they became traitors. Today, those who do not want to abandon their nations’ interests and do not support international capital in a soulless way are pushed out by the paid media and representatives of multicultural, globalist interests. Of course, there have always been conflicts of interest between political forces, when ideological differences or personality defects dominated the international stage. Reflecting on the current situation, we see that what unites those who are rejected is not similarity but refusal. Leaders of completely different-sized countries, representatives of occasionally different cultures, or those who wield influence on the world in different ways suddenly find themselves jointly gnawing on the “bitter” bread of the excluded.

Many leaders fall into this category, but let us highlight two personalities – Putin and Orbán – whose political activities prove the above statement. Based on an objective value system and assessment, there is practically nothing in common between the two leaders. What brings them on the same platform and mixes their political visions is determinable in the past and present political tastes.

The “old school” built on national affiliation even during the flourishing of federal systems. However, belonging to today’s defining international elite, while not excluding, certainly does not favor the idea of thinking in terms of nation. Those who fly the flag with the slogan “nations above all” can expect complete exclusion.

This is why desperate and imaginative negative epithets are showered on Putin. Orbán and others, on the other hand, are criticized for maintaining connections – let alone doing business – with the Russians. Let us overlook the fact that countries that regard themselves as developed also have business relations with the “great Russian land”. For example, the US sources a significant portion of the raw materials for its nuclear industry from Putin’s country. US-Russian trade has shown growth in the past two years. Ignoring all this, let us focus on why

Putin and his system must be hated. In short: because he represents a different policy from the economic power sphere dominating and even seeking to dominate the world, like BlackRock. In a longer explanation: the “old-fashioned” political style rejects, and even dares to rebel against, the almost servile subordination.

In recent times, this kind of national consciousness has strengthened mainly in Central and Eastern Europe. The precedent is that in the 1990s, the lords of Wall Street began buying up the values ​​of countries that were still politically confused during the transition phase at low prices. This life situation also characterized the period dominated by President Yeltsin in Russia. The tendency that prevailed at that time is well exemplified by the case of the Yukos oil company and its leader, Khodorkovsky. American funds, with “internal” assistance, began buying up the company’s shares, thus acquiring the ownership of vast Siberian oil reserves. Khodorkovsky’s act of treason had two consequences: Russia was pushed to the brink of collapse, and Yeltsin drowned his helplessness in alcohol.

Then came Putin and his operational team. They took back ownership, drove out the robber barons, and, for the sake of example, sent Khodorkovsky to Siberia to study the not-so-easy operation of oil and gas extraction up close.

Since then, there has been only one slogan in Putin’s dictionary supported by the majority of Russian voters: “Russia belongs to the Russians.” Putin translated the slogan from an American source, which originally sounded like this: “America belongs to Americans.” Then the new Russian leadership declared that Russia will remain Christian in the future and will not be deceived by the adoption of crazy ideas disguised as culture.

Because – they said – man and woman were created and that’s it! Anyone who defines themselves otherwise is unwanted in the public space within the country. The pedophile – as a criminal – is rewarded by experiencing the wild life of Siberia. The ultimate – condemned by Western democracy – shamelessness was that Putin restored Russia’s security guarantees, stabilizing its defense against external threats.

Now, a leap to the recent history of Europe. In 2024 Europe, people in significant positions write and say daily that Viktor Orbán is nothing but Putin’s minion, a mocker of democracy and European values. Why do they insist on these claims? And if they are going to criticize someone, why not do it on their own terms? Why do they idolize the Russian president or anyone else? Perhaps because the loudmouths and accusers project their own life situation onto the Hungarian prime minister. It cannot be easy for them to swallow that they receive instructions from overseas on a daily basis.

Of course, they may be right in the sense that

the two statesmen are undeniably motivated by similar motivations far from the Brussels contagion. The nation’s interests above all else! Standing consistently by this principle, it is not surprising that their enemies are the same. Moreover, they both reject the rules of the mafia,

which, when confronted with devastation, cunningly sneaks into the defiant head the sneaky line: “It’s nothing personal, it’s just business.” In Western Europe, this principle clearly dominates in political circles.

It is not about Putin or Orbán here. It is much more about what future the citizens of nations envision. Perhaps one day it will become clear that

in Russia or here in the Danube Basin, the elected political leaders dare to be brave because they believe it is right to be accountable to their society members about the motivations behind their decisions.

Because survival is not about the gun, but about consistent adherence to values.

László Földi

The author is an intelligence expert and chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Protected Society Foundation.