Brussels is concerned regarding reports of plans by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose country took over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union on July 1, to visit Moscow. “The rotating presidency of the Council of the EU does not give the authority to conduct dialogue with Russia on behalf of the EU,” European Council President Charles Michel said on Thursday, July 4, on social media.
He recalled that the EU Council of Ministers has a clear position on Russian aggression once morest Ukraine: “Russia is the aggressor, Ukraine is the victim. No discussions regarding Ukraine can take place without Ukraine.”
In turn, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on the social network X. “Rumors regarding your visit to Moscow cannot be true, Prime Minister Viktor Orban, or is it true?”
The fact that the Hungarian prime minister intends to visit Russia just a few days following meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv was reported, citing unnamed sources, by VSquare journalist Szabolcs Pani and the Hungarian service of Radio Liberty. According to them, Orban’s visit to Moscow is scheduled for July 5, and he will be accompanied by Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. Neither Hungary nor Russia has officially announced this visit.
Orban urged Zelensky to cease fire immediately
During a visit to Kyiv, Viktor Orban called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for a temporary truce with Russia to begin peace talks. Zelensky refused, stressing that his country needed a “just peace.”
The head of the Hungarian government positions himself as a supporter of the earliest possible achievement of peace in Ukraine. He has repeatedly spoken out in favor of lifting sanctions once morest Moscow and has spoken out once morest arms supplies to Kyiv.
#Concerned #Viktor #Orbans #Plans #Visit #Moscow
2024-07-06 06:11:11
