Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow as part of what the Hungarian leader described as a “peace mission,” while European leaders insisted it was a bilateral visit.
Orban’s visit comes just a few days after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv. Additionally, the Hungarian prime minister is in Russia only five days after his country assumed the presidency of the European Union (EU). Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto also accompanied Orban on this visit to Russia.
”The peace mission continues. Second stop: Moscow,” Orban wrote on the platform X.
During the meeting with Orban at the Kremlin, Putin expressed that he views the Hungarian leader as acting, in some capacity, on behalf of the EU.
“I understand that this time you did not come only as our long-standing partner but also as the President of the [EU] Council,” Putin told Orban. He also stated that he expects Orban to present the “positions of European partners” regarding the situation in Ukraine and is prepared to discuss the “nuances” of peace proposals.
Orban’s visit to Russia at the very beginning of Hungary’s six-month EU presidency has sparked criticism from European diplomats.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell stated that Orban did not represent the EU in any form during his visit to Moscow. He added that Orban’s visit falls exclusively under the bilateral relations between Hungary and Russia.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the Alliance was informed in advance about Orban’s visit to Russia.
“Orban is traveling in his capacity as the Hungarian prime minister and will not represent NATO,” Stoltenberg said.
The nationalist Hungarian leader, who has been in power since 2010, also condemned Brussels’ move to open formal membership negotiations with Ukraine, although he was restrained and did not use the opportunity to veto the decision, RSE writes.
E.Dz.
