Sir, – US president Donald Trump has sent vice-president JD Vance to Hungary in an effort to shore up its prime minister Viktor Orbán’s position in the forthcoming parliamentary elections there.
Orbán is openly pro-Putin and anti-EU, which puts him at the top of the Trump list for favoured treatment. His re-election would have, as your columnist Jack Power points out (Europe Letter, April 9th), a significant negative impact for the EU as he works from within to hamstring key policy decisions of the union.
The EU is at a tipping point in how it will function in the future. An early solution to policy approval processes that need the agreement of all member states needs to be found whereby a significant majority, or some other workable outcome that is seen to be reasonable, can carry the day.
In addition, the EU needs to be more direct in its relationship with the US recognising that it is no longer, at best a reliable ally, but rather is at worst, more likely a malign presence in how Europe progresses into the future.
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New and existing mutually beneficial alliances need to be developed and deepened with compatible countries in Asia, Oceania and consistent allies such as Canada.
It is past time to move on from the US as the parental figure in our future European development. – Yours, etc,
Gerry Prizeman,
Clontarf,
Dublin.
Sir, – US vice-president JD Vance accuses the EU of interfering in the Hungarian election while speaking at a rally where he called on voters to support the government party in the election. You couldn’t make it up. – Yours, etc,
John Smith,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.
