Welcome to Hard Talk on the BBC World Service with me, Stephen Sacker. My guest today is now long

experienced in the art of defiant diplomacy. Peter Seattle is a long-time ally and loyal supporter of

Hungary's Prime Minister Victor Orban. First, he was a local politician, then an MP, and since 2014, he's been Minister of Foreign

Affairs and Trade.

Now, in that capacity, Peter Seattle has faithfully followed his boss's inclinations,

that is, to pursue a brand of Christian nationalist populist politics, which has put

him at odds with the EU institutions in

Brussels and key partners in NATO, most notably the Biden administration in Washington.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has heightened scrutiny of Hungary's outlier status.

Orban opposes arming Ukraine, wants to see EU sanctions on Moscow

softened and has expanded Hungary's energy reliance on Russia. In the latest confrontation

with Brussels, Budapest has blocked grain imports from Ukraine in defiance of EU policy.

When it comes to NATO, Hungary, along with

Turkey, is still blocking Sweden's entry into the alliance. President Biden's patience with

Hungary appears to be at breaking point. The US has just imposed sanctions on a Budapest bank

co-owned by Russians. And Congress is considering the imposition of wider

sanctions. Even more worrying for Budapest is the EU's determination to link future Brussels funding

to governance reforms and respect for common European values. Hungary's defiance could, it seems,

cost the country dear. Is that a price Hungarians are willing to pay?

Well, Foreign Minister Peter Seattle joins me now on the line from Budapest. Welcome to Hard Talk.

Thank you so much for the invitation again. I'm happy to be here again. No, it's a pleasure to have you back on the program, Mr. Seattle.

Let me start with a very simple question.

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