European leaders expressed unease on Thursday over studies that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, on the helm of the EU’s presidency, is because of journey to Moscow, with Council President Charles Michel saying there was “no mandate” for it.
Orban is the one EU chief to have maintained shut ties with the Kremlin following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
On Monday, Hungary took over the European Union’s rotating presidency, giving the central European nation sway over the bloc’s agenda and priorities for the subsequent six months.
“The EU rotating presidency has no mandate to engage with Russia on behalf of the EU,” Michel wrote on X, previously Twitter.
“The European Council is clear: Russia is the aggressor, Ukraine is the victim. No discussions about Ukraine can take place without Ukraine,” he added.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk additionally took to X, posting: “The rumors about your visit to Moscow cannot be true @PM_ViktorOrban, or can they?”
According to the investigative portal Vsquare and the media outlet RFE/RL, which quoted nameless sources, Orban is predicted to satisfy Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday, simply days after touring to Kyiv.
If confirmed, the Moscow go to can be the primary one by a European chief since Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer in April 2022.
On Monday, Orban foreshadowed that there can be “surprising news from surprising places.”
Orban and Putin final met in October 2023 in Beijing, the place they mentioned vitality cooperation.
On Tuesday, the Hungarian chief met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv.
During the go to, Orban urged Ukraine to work towards a “time-limited” cease-fire with Russia to hurry up peace talks.
Zelenskyy as a substitute known as on Orban to again Kyiv’s steps to work for peace along side worldwide companions.
Orban has repeatedly sought to melt EU sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Hungarian chief, in energy since 2010, commonly criticizes Europe’s monetary and navy assist for Kyiv and briefly blocked a 50-billion-euro ($53-billion) assist bundle for weeks.
He has additionally brazenly opposed holding EU membership talks with Kyiv in addition to Brussels’ sanctions on Moscow – although Budapest has not used its veto to dam the strikes.
Earlier this 12 months, Orban congratulated Putin on profitable reelection in a vote condemned by the West, praising the upkeep of dialogue and “mutual respect” between Hungary and Russia “even in challenging geopolitical contexts.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com