The European Commission is launching a personalised «survival kit» to help Europeans survive 72 hours in the event of war.

The initiative is presented through a YouTube video by EU Commissioner Hadja Lahbib, which is also heavily criticised, writes Fria Tider.

The video was posted on the European Commission’s official YouTube channel. It shows Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, pulling items out of her handbag in front of an audience laughing on command.

She shows off cans, a flashlight, phone chargers, ID cards in a waterproof case, a lighter, a deck of cards, a Swiss Army knife and cash.

Critics have likened the show to an attempt at high school stand-up comedy, rather than serious crisis information.

Many observers are linking the launch of the video to the EU’s attempts to increase its foreign policy autonomy – particularly in light of Trump’s statements that the US may no longer protect Europe militarily if it does not increase its defence budgets.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron dream of a «coalition of the willing,» mainly from Europe, protecting Ukraine from the Russians. The problem is the lack of soldiers.

Hungary’s government has a different view on how to deal with the war in Ukraine, and one of the harshest critics of the video is Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó.

– At first we thought it was trolling or a joke, he says in a Facebook video.

– Why should EU citizens suddenly be packing survival gear in the 21st century? Unfortunately, the explanation seems to be that Brussels is preparing for war.

The real threat is not a new war, but the EU’s own pro-war policy, says Szijjártó.

The survival package is just one part of the Commission’s new crisis strategy presented on Wednesday. It also proposes closer co-operation between civilian and military authorities in the event of a crisis, as well as the stockpiling of key resources such as medicines, energy and industrial raw materials.

The pandemic is cited as an example of why increased coordination is important. It seems that the EU still believes that the pandemic was handled well from Brussels.

The sabotage of submarine cables in the Baltic Sea was also mentioned as a reason to strengthen cooperation between civilian and military actors – although neither Finland, Sweden nor the EU presented any evidence that Russia was behind it.

The strategy of strengthening European defence cannot mean a covert increase in arms shipments and economic aid to Ukraine, mainly because this would prolong the war, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said in Brussels on Friday, writes Magyar Nemzet.

Szijjártó dismisses the whole strategy as «astonishing and baseless hysteria without a trace of common sense».

– Only an agreement between these two powers can end the war, he says.

Szijjártó accuses the EU leadership of wanting to prolong the war to avoid having to explain to its citizens why it has been pursuing a policy of escalation for three years without any results.

Hundreds of billions of euros have been spent on Ukraine – while the Ukrainian state claims that it is no longer able to fulfil its basic functions.

– We should not undermine the peace talks, but support them, he says, adding that the EU should help President Donald Trump in his efforts to reach an agreement.

Hungary will block Ukraine’s EU membership, as such a move would be a serious threat both economically and in terms of security.

A binding referendum on the issue will be held in Hungary next month.