Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hosted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Kiev on Tuesday in a meeting that was marked by positive sentiments and “good progress.”
Orban chose Kiev as the destination of his first foreign visit since Hungary took over the presidency of the European Council, a gesture intended to convey to the rest of the continent the priority Budapest places in resolving the crisis sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In a statement posted on social media on Tuesday, Zelenskiy said he thanked Orban for treating Hungary’s war as a regional emergency rather than simply a national one, and avoided criticizing Orban’s previous public calls for Ukraine to consider a ceasefire agreement with Moscow.
Meanwhile, Hungarian media reported that Orbán was generous and grateful for Ukrainian hospitality and was eager to sign a bilateral agreement with Ukraine to address “differences” in their policies. The only major sign of rift between the two sides was reports that Orbán had urged Zelensky to consider a ceasefire proposal to stop Russian aggression on Ukrainian territory, which Ukrainian media reported Zelensky rejected.
IIn this photo provided by the Press Office of the President of Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, right, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban pose for a photograph before meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (Photo provided by the Press Office of the President of Ukraine via The Associated Press)
The friendly demeanor was a stark contrast to the heated exchanges that have taken place when Orban and Zelenskiy have appeared together in public on occasions unrelated to European issues, such as the inauguration of Argentine President Javier Milley in Buenos Aires, where the pair were again caught on camera exchanging terse words at a European event last week.
“I thanked the Prime Minister for Hungary’s participation in the Peace Summit and its support for the Final Statement,” Zelenskiy said in a statement after his meeting with Orban on Tuesday. “As we prepare for the second Peace Summit, we shared our achievements with our partners on the sidelines of the summit. We have made great progress and there is more to come.”
Zelensky said Orban’s visit to Ukraine “sent a clear message to all of us about the importance of European unity and joint efforts” and congratulated them on the “positive bilateral outcomes” of the meeting.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s visit to Ukraine – his first in several years and the first during wartime – and, what is remarkable, coming just after Hungary assumed the EU presidency – sends a clear signal to all of us about the importance of European unity and joint efforts.
We discussed… pic.twitter.com/U8yDSJnNTQ
— Volodymyr Zelensky (@ZelenskyyUa) July 2, 2024
Orban similarly issued a statement on social media, along with a video of his remarks at a joint press conference in the Ukrainian capital.
“I’ve come with the intention of moving bilateral relations forward,” Orban said in Kiev. “We are trying to put past conflicts in the past and focus on the future. I hope that we can achieve better relations between our two countries.”
Orban also said Hungary was “eager to take part in the modernization of the Ukrainian economy and would like to see an institutional framework for this.”
We agreed with the president today. Zelensky 🇺🇺Opening a new page in bilateral relations. pic.twitter.com/X7CZUtqidg
— Viktor Orban (@PM_ViktorOrban) July 2, 2024
Unlike Zelenskiy, who offered few specifics during the meeting, Orban said he tried to persuade him to consider a “time-limited ceasefire that could become an opportunity to accelerate peace talks.”
His first stop as President of the Council of the EU was Kiev, where he met with the President. ZelenskyWe assessed the possibility of a time-limited ceasefire, which could provide an opportunity to accelerate peace talks. We will report our findings to… pic.twitter.com/TqPeDAvsoe
— Viktor Orban (@PM_ViktorOrban) July 2, 2024
Hungarian state media reported that Orban “appreciated Zelenskiy’s efforts to build peace” but suggested negotiating a ceasefire quickly to save lives. Zelenskiy has proposed a global peace approach to end the conflict, including the detention and punishment of all Russian officials involved in the decision-making to invade Ukraine.
“The way international diplomacy works is slow and complicated,” Orban was quoted as saying. Said“I have suggested to the President that he should consider whether it would be possible to reverse the order by expediting peace negotiations with a rapid ceasefire.”
“A time-limited ceasefire could be an opportunity to accelerate peace negotiations. I have assessed the options for that scenario,” Orban said.
of Kyiv Independent report On Tuesday, the Ukrainian government quickly “rejected” the ceasefire proposal.
Before Orban’s arrival, the Hungarian government had signaled that his visit to Ukraine would focus on urging President Zelenskiy to seek peace talks with Russia — a position that has irritated the Ukrainian government in the past. Still, Orban has repeatedly called for Europe to press Ukraine to negotiate with Russia.
“Europe must prepare for a situation where sooner or later the US and Russia will negotiate… Where is Europe in this situation? [situation]Orbán was quoted as saying on Monday: “Who represents your interests? What are your interests anyway?”
Orban led anti-war protests in Budapest in June, denounced claims that Ukraine could definitely win a war with Russia, one of the world’s largest military powers.
“They think they can win this war, but the euphoria of war is like a drug, and those who are addicted think they have no responsibility,” Orban said at the event. “They don’t listen to anyone, they trample on people. They feel no guilt. We don’t matter to them, and neither do you, your life, or your future, for which you work every day.”
“I will say this slowly so that the people in Brussels understand: we are not going to war,” the prime minister declared, referring to European Union leaders. “We will not march east for a third time, we will not go to the Russian front again. We have been there before and there is nothing to gain there.”
The successful and polite meeting between President Zelensky and Prime Minister Orban in Kiev is a sign of improving relations, and at a presidential inauguration in Argentina in December, the two leaders engaged in a spirited discussion while looking down on Ecuador’s embattled President Daniel Novoa, seemingly to the bewilderment of other attendees.
Zelensky later Explained Keep the conversation as open as possible.
Two Leaders Engaged Another heated conversation at the European Council summit last week has generated much speculation, although the contents of that conversation have not been made public at the time of writing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr-PTPHmAPs
In addition to differences over Ukraine’s response to Russian aggression, Hungary has been one of the most vocal opponents of Ukraine joining the European Union.
“Enlargement is a meritocratic process. There will be no exceptions!” Orban said in a December message, expressing opposition to Ukraine’s current membership.
Orban said: Said “European Union member states are in continuous discussions about Ukraine’s possible membership,” Zelenskyy said on Tuesday.
