Orbán's visit to Moscow infuriates EU officials

2024-07-04 21:30:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Orbán's visit to Moscow infuriates EU officials

Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban. Photo from the archive, AFP

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban will travel to Moscow on July 5 to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a Hungarian government source told RFE/RL.

His visit to Russia will come days after he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto will accompany Orban to the Kremlin, the government source said. Szijjarto has visited Russia more than five times since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago.

News of the visit to Moscow comes days after Hungary took over the next presidency of the European Union - a move that has raised concerns in the EU due to Orban's regular pro-Russian statements.

The visit of the Hungarian prime minister to Russia has been condemned by the leaders of the European bloc.

Charles Michel, president of the European Council, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that "the rotating leadership of the EU presidency has no mandate to engage with Russia on behalf of the EU."

"The European Council is clear: Russia is the aggressor, Ukraine is the victim. There is no discussion about Ukraine without Ukraine," said Michel.

An EU official, who did not want to be identified, told Radio Free Europe that Orban has not informed the bloc of any planned visit to Moscow.

If Orban asked, Michel would advise him against such a visit, the official said.

Meanwhile, during his first visit to Ukraine, Orban presented Zelensky with a proposal for a ceasefire, as the fighting between Russia and Ukraine continues for more than two years.

"I asked the president if it is possible for a pause, for a cessation of hostilities, for the continuation of talks afterwards. After all, a ceasefire would guarantee the acceleration of the pace of these negotiations", said Orban, during the press conference in Kiev.

Last month, Putin said Russia was willing to halt its war - which is believed to have killed and wounded at least 500,000 soldiers on both sides - only if Kiev met specific conditions.

Among these conditions is the relinquishment of Kiev's ambition to join NATO and the handing over of four partially occupied regions that Russia claims in full, except for Crimea.

Ukraine has rejected these conditions, calling them absurd, saying that if it accepts them, it would mean capitulation for it.

Since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Orban has stood out among leaders from the European Union and NATO for his reluctance to sign off on massive Western arms and aid packages for Ukraine. / REL