Orban in Ukraine/ The first visit of Putin's main ally to the EU, since the beginning of the war

2024-07-02 18:36:18, Kosova & Bota CNA

Orban in Ukraine/ The first visit of Putin's main ally to the EU, since the

Source, Reuters

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán visited Kiev on Tuesday for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

This is his first visit to the country since the start of the Russian aggression and comes at a time when Budapest is taking a different stance from the rest of the European Union in relation to the war, leaning towards Moscow.

Mr Orban's visit is seen as a rare gesture in a relationship that has long been marred by tensions.

Known as Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest ally within the European Union, Mr Orbán has consistently blocked or delayed the Union's efforts to provide aid to Ukraine and impose sanctions on Moscow.

This has irritated both Mr Zelenskyy and other EU leaders.

Meanwhile, on the front lines of the war, Kiev's forces are trying to block the advance of Russian troops in eastern Ukraine.

Delays in providing essential Western military aid have left the Ukrainian military at the mercy of Russian forces.

Mr Orban's press chief, Bertalan Havasi, who confirmed the visit earlier on Tuesday to Hungarian news agency MTI, said the meeting would be an opportunity to broker peace as Ukraine battles Russian aggression.

Kiev, on the other hand, has not announced Mr. Orban's visit, signaling the cold relations between the two countries.

The visit comes a day after Hungary took over the rotating six-month presidency of the European Union, a position that carries few real powers but can be used to set the tone for Brussels' agenda.

Hungarian officials have said they will act as "honest brokers" in the task, despite concerns from some European lawmakers that the country's democratic record is evidence that Hungary is unfit to lead the bloc.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov played down the importance of the visit, saying Hungary "must fulfill (the functions)" of its EU presidency, adding that Moscow had no particular expectations on its outcome.

Mr Orbán has previously accused Kiev of mistreating an ethnic Hungarian minority in Ukraine's western region of Zakarpattia, using it as an excuse not to send weapons to Ukraine, or to prevent their transfer across the border they share. countries./ VOA