Hungary's Orban visits Russia, meets with Putin, stirring EU outcry

Hungary's Orbán visits Russia, meets with Putin — Russia’s President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia July 5, 2024. Sputnik/via EPA

MOSCOW,— Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday to discuss a potential peace deal for Ukraine, a move that has sparked backlash from some European Union leaders who caution against appeasing Moscow.

Orban, who took over Hungary’s six-month rotating presidency of the EU on Monday, has already visited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv and established the “Patriots for Europe” alliance with other right-wing nationalists.

Orban’s visit to Moscow came just days before a NATO summit focusing on additional military support for Ukraine, which the Western defense alliance characterizes as resisting Russia’s “unprovoked war of aggression.”

This meeting marked the first encounter between an EU leader and Putin in Moscow since April 2022, and the first meeting between Orban and Putin since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine commenced.

Orban’s diplomatic endeavor has been met with sharp criticism from EU leaders. Ukraine also expressed disapproval, stating it was not consulted about the visit. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that unity and determination within the 27-nation EU are essential for achieving a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. “Appeasement will not stop Putin,” she asserted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

During the talks in the Kremlin, Putin described the discussions as useful but accused Ukraine of lacking the desire to end the ongoing conflict. He reiterated his proposals for ending the war, which Ukraine has consistently rejected, likening them to demands for surrender.

“Implementing them, in our view, could halt hostilities and initiate negotiations,” Putin told reporters. He claimed that Russia remains open to a political and diplomatic settlement, but accused Ukraine of being unwilling to pursue this path.

Putin had previously stated that Russia would cease hostilities if Kyiv abandoned its NATO aspirations and ceded four provinces claimed by Moscow—conditions Kyiv swiftly dismissed as unacceptable.

Ukraine continues to advocate for its own 10-point peace plan, viewing it as the only viable solution, and held an international summit to promote it.

Kyiv’s foreign ministry emphasized that any agreements concerning Ukraine must involve Ukraine, underscoring the principle of “no agreements on Ukraine without Ukraine.”

Orban, known for his criticism of Western military support for Ukraine and maintaining the closest relations with Putin among EU leaders, acknowledged that he did not have an EU mandate for his visit.

However, he argued that peace cannot be achieved “from a comfortable armchair in Brussels.” Writing on X, Orban said, “We cannot sit back and wait for the war to miraculously end.”

He emphasized Hungary’s perspective on its EU presidency as a peace mission, highlighting the detrimental impact of the war on Europe’s economic development and competitiveness. “In short, I told the President (Putin) that Europe needs peace,” Orban stated.

Despite the significant steps required to end the war and the stark differences between Moscow’s and Kyiv’s positions, Orban viewed his trip as a preliminary step towards reestablishing dialogue.

However, an anonymous EU diplomat expressed that Orban’s actions validated skepticism about Hungary’s presidency, suggesting it was more about advancing Budapest’s interests.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda criticized Orban for undermining the EU presidency, stating, “If you genuinely seek peace, you don’t shake hands with a bloody dictator; you focus all your efforts on supporting Ukraine,” on X.

Similarly, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, who is slated to become the next EU foreign policy chief, accused Orban of using his position to create confusion, affirming the EU’s united stance behind Ukraine against Russian aggression.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto defended the visit, asserting Hungary’s independence and the necessity of maintaining open communication channels for resolving the conflict. “Without maintaining dialogue and keeping communication channels open, finding a solution to this war is impossible,” he said.

Hungary’s EU presidency commenced with a bold call to “Make Europe Great Again,” echoing former U.S. President Donald Trump, an ally of Orban and a vocal critic of the EU.

Zoltán Kovacs, Orban’s spokesman, indicated that the prime minister intends to leverage the presidency for political purposes, stating, “We intend to leave a mark.” This statement came just before news of Orban’s Moscow trip surfaced.

(With files from Reuters)