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Hungary’s Orban Makes Wartime Visits to Kyiv and Moscow, Proposes Quick Ceasefire

Jul 5, 2024, 10:43 AM

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban made an unannounced wartime visit to Kyiv on Tuesday, his first visit since 2012, to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The discussions focused on the potential for a ceasefire and improving bilateral relations. Orban emphasized Hungary's willingness to support Ukraine's peace initiatives, proposed a broad bilateral agreement on cooperation, and addressed the need to care for Ukrainian refugees in Hungary. Following the Kyiv visit, Orban traveled to Moscow on Friday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting aimed to discuss the nuances of the Ukrainian conflict and explore potential peace proposals, including a quick ceasefire. Orban's visit to Moscow, which was flagged to NATO in advance, drew criticism from EU leaders, who emphasized that Orban does not represent the EU or NATO in his discussions with Putin. Orban highlighted Hungary's EU presidency and described the visits as part of a peace mission. Putin expressed readiness to discuss peace proposals and highlighted the importance of dialogue between Russia and Hungary.