Bill Clinton Scolds Poland, Hungary for ‘Putin-Like’ Leaders
- Leaders see democracy as ‘too much trouble,’ Clinton Says
- Hungary calls comments ‘insult,’ Poland says they’re ‘unfair’
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Former U.S. President Bill Clinton said Poland and Hungary are embracing a leadership model touted by Russian President Vladimir Putin, adding to criticism in Washington over policies pursued by the eastern NATO members.
The two formerly communist countries have fallen out with their European Union peers and the U.S. amid concerns their governments are backsliding on the democratic values built up following the collapse of the Iron Curtain a quarter century ago. While Hungary is seeking nuclear energy technology from Russia, Poland is a vocal critic of Putin’s assertive stance in eastern Europe and wants to finalize a deal boosting the presence of North Atlantic Treaty Organization troops in the region at the alliance’s summit in July.