Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on July 5, 2024, a move that has sparked controversy and criticism within the European Union. This visit comes just days after Orban’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev, where he proposed a ceasefire and peace talks with Russia.The planned meeting has raised concerns among EU officials and leaders. European Council President Charles Michel has firmly stated that Hungary, as the current holder of the EU’s rotating presidency, ‘has no mandate to engage with Russia on behalf of the EU’. Michel emphasized the EU’s clear position: ‘Russia is the aggressor, and Ukraine is the victim. No conversation about Ukraine can take place without Ukraine’.Orban’s visit would be the first by an EU leader to Moscow since April 2022, when Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer unsuccessfully attempted to mediate an end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Hungarian Prime Minister has maintained closer ties with Moscow than other EU leaders since the invasion, often blocking EU aid to Kiev and sanctions against Russia.The timing of this visit is particularly sensitive, as Hungary has just taken over the rotating presidency of the EU Council. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk publicly questioned the rumors of Orban’s visit, highlighting the unease among EU member states.While the Kremlin has not officially confirmed the meeting, spokesman Dmitry Peskov promised that Putin’s schedule on Friday would be ‘busy’. The visit is seen by some analysts as an attempt by Orban to portray himself as a peacemaker, though it’s unlikely to bring lasting peace to Ukraine.As tensions rise within the EU over this diplomatic move, the international community watches closely to see how this meeting might impact the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the broader geopolitical landscape in Europe.
Key points
- Hungarian PM Viktor Orban plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on July 5, 2024.
- EU officials, led by Charles Michel, stress that Orban has no mandate to negotiate with Russia on behalf of the EU.
- This visit follows Orban’s recent meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky, where he proposed a ceasefire.
- The meeting is the first by an EU leader to Moscow since April 2022, raising concerns about EU unity on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Contradictions👾While Orban claims to seek mediation between Russia and Ukraine, his actions, including blocking EU aid to Kiev and sanctions against Russia, seem to contradict this stated goal.
