Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met with the Russian president to discuss the Russian war against Ukraine and its “peaceful settlement.” Moscow said that Orbán came not only as a partner but as a representative of the country presiding over the EU Council.
The head of the European Council and the head of the EU’s foreign policy emphasized that Hungary has no authority to conduct dialogue with Russia on behalf of the EU. The head of the European Commission criticized Orban for his visit to the Russian Federation, but Orban called the trip a “peaceful mission.” He also stated that Hungary will soon become the only European country that can speak to all sides of the conflict.
ISW analysts believe that Orban is trying to shift the West’s attention from supporting Ukraine to “peace” negotiations.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine stresses that Orban did not discuss this visit with Ukraine, and the principle of “no agreements on Ukraine without Ukraine” remains inviolable.