Orbán also said that “we cannot sacrifice our industry or agriculture in this process,” and that “we cannot impose unrealistic quotas or burdensome rules on farmers and companies.”
But, he added, Hungary is also positioning itself to become “a significant player in electric vehicle development and electricity storage.”
Orbán is among the few EU leaders who attended this year’s summit in Azerbaijan, with Germany’s Olaf Scholz, France’s Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen choosing to stay home. Hungary currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, which represents member states.
He concluded his speech by saying: “I firmly believe that by working together, we can balance ambition with pragmatism, establishing Europe as a global leader in climate action without compromising the prosperity of our industries and agriculture.”
Just before Orbán took the stage to deliver his speech, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer used his statement to announce a new climate target.