Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian Prime Minister, has met Donald Trump on the latest leg of a self-proclaimed mission to resolve the Russo-Ukraine war.
Orbán met Trump in Mar-a-Lago, the former U.S. president’s property in Florida, and, according to a spokesperson for the Hungarian prime minister, talked about the “possibilities of peace.”
The meeting was the latest in a globe-hopping tour by Orbán that has taken him to Kyiv, Moscow, and Beijing. The Hungarian prime minister has sought to portray himself as “pro-peace” despite deep-seated suspicions in many Western capitals that he is more inclined to be pro-Moscow.
Hungary, under Orbán, has maintained strong ties with Moscow and Putin that were flourishing long before the war. Frustration in the EU over this has increased in recent weeks owing to Budapest blocking EU aid packages for Ukraine.
Adding to the exasperation with Budapest are suspicions that Orbán is trying to use Hungary’s position as president of the Council of the EU to add credibility to his “peace mission.”
Following the meeting with Trump, EU officials were quick to distance themselves from it.
European Council President Charles Michel said: “The rotating presidency doesn’t represent the EU at the external level. There’s a clear position. And this visit, paid by the prime minister of Hungary, was not a visit on behalf of the EU.”
The meeting was the latest in a globe-hopping tour by Orbán that has taken him to Kyiv, Moscow, and Beijing. The Hungarian prime minister has sought to portray himself as “pro-peace” despite deep-seated suspicions in many Western capitals that he is more inclined to be pro-Moscow.
Hungary, under Orbán, has maintained strong ties with Moscow and Putin that were flourishing long before the war. Frustration in the EU over this has increased in recent weeks owing to Budapest blocking EU aid packages for Ukraine.
Adding to the exasperation with Budapest are suspicions that Orbán is trying to use Hungary’s position as president of the Council of the EU to add credibility to his “peace mission.”
Following the meeting with Trump, EU officials were quick to distance themselves from it.
European Council President Charles Michel said: “The rotating presidency doesn’t represent the EU at the external level. There’s a clear position. And this visit, paid by the prime minister of Hungary, was not a visit on behalf of the EU.”
Source: TVP World, euronews.com, Reuters
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