Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attend a joint news briefing, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine on July 2, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday to consider a ceasefire to accelerate an end to the war with Russia and also said he wanted a big cooperation agreement with Kyiv.

Mr. Orban, who is an outspoken critic of Western military aid to Ukraine and has the warmest relations of any EU leader with Russian President Vladimir Putin, held talks with Zelenskiy during his first trip to Kyiv in more than a decade.

In brief joint statements to reporters after the talks, Mr. Orban said he valued Kyiv’s push to promote Mr. Zelenskiy’s vision of peace at an international summit in June in Switzerland and its aim to hold a second, follow-up summit later this year.

“I asked the president to think about whether we could reverse the order, and speed up peace talks with making a ceasefire first,” Mr. Orban said.

“A ceasefire connected to a deadline would give a chance to speed up peace talks. I explored this possibility with the president and I am grateful for his honest answers and negotiation.”

Mr. Zelenskiy, who spoke before Mr. Orban, did not respond to those comments.

The Ukrainian leader’s foreign policy adviser, Ihor Zhovkva, later said in televised remarks that it was not the first time a ceasefire had been proposed and that Mr. Zelenskiy had responded to Mr. Orban with his publicly known stance.

He did not elaborate, but officials in Kyiv have often said Russia would use any let-up in fighting to regroup and strengthen itself for another, even larger attack on Ukraine.

In his statement to reporters, Mr. Zelenskiy touted the possibility of a broad bilateral cooperation agreement between Ukraine and Hungary.

“…the content of our dialogue today on all issues can become the basis for a bilateral document between our states, a document that will regulate all our mutual relations,” he said.

Welcoming Mr. Zelenskiy’s comments, Mr. Orban said Hungary would like to help in modernising Ukraine’s economy.

Ties between the neighbours came under heavy strain after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, with Budapest often opposing European Union efforts to support Kyiv.

Under Mr. Orban, who upset Western partners by holding talks with Putin last October, Hungary has repeatedly accused Ukraine of curbing the rights of roughly 150,000 ethnic Hungarians living in the far west of Ukraine.

Ukraine, meanwhile, is keen to secure Hungary’s backing as it relies heavily on financial and military support from the 27-member EU, where unanimity is needed for many decisions.

CHALLENGES

Mr. Orban linked Tuesday’s surprise Ukraine visit to Hungary having assumed the six-month rotating presidency of the European Council on Monday.

“The aim of the Hungarian presidency is to contribute to solving the challenges ahead of the European Union. That’s why my first trip was to Kyiv,” Mr. Orban wrote on Facebook after he arrived in Kyiv.

Last week, the EU opened formal membership talks with Kyiv at its summit in Brussels, giving Ukraine a morale-lifting boost, although a long and tough road still lies ahead before it can join the bloc.

Mr. Zelenskiy and Mr. Orban were filmed on the sidelines of that summit in what looked like an emotional exchange.

Last year, Mr. Orban told Mr. Putin that Hungary had never wanted to oppose Russia. In early 2024, it took the EU leaders weeks to break the Hungarian prime minister’s veto to extend 50 billion euros ($53.67 billion) in new aid to Ukraine.

Ukraine has denied Budapest’s assertion that it is restricting the rights of Hungarian speakers in western Ukraine but says it is open to addressing any concerns.

Kyiv passed a law in 2017 that required all schools to teach students over the age of 10 in the Ukrainian language. Hungary saw this as a breach of the ethnic Hungarian minority’s rights.

Some changes were made in December 2023 when the issue became critical for Kyiv’s EU accession talks. Budapest said the changes were an improvement but didn’t go far enough.

Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orban toured key European capitals last week.
| Photo Credit: AP

Hungary takes over the European Union’s (EU) rotating presidency on July 1, promising to be an “honest broker” despite widespread concerns over what critics see as an authoritarian, Russia-friendly government.

Nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has run the central European country since 2010 aiming to transform it into an “illiberal democracy”, frequently clashes with Brussels over rule-of-law and human rights issues.

He is also the only EU leader who has maintained ties with Russia despite its invasion of Ukraine. He has refused to send arms to Kyiv and repeatedly slammed sanctions against Moscow over the war.

Last year, the European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution highlighting Hungary’s “backsliding” on democratic values, and questioning how it could “credibly” assume the bloc’s six-month presidency.

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“Ready to assume duties and responsibilities”

Budapest insists it is ready to assume “the duties and responsibilities” steering the bloc of 27 countries.

“We will be honest brokers, working loyally with all member states and institutions,” Hungarian EU Affairs Minister Janos Boka said in mid-June as he unveiled the presidency’s programme.

“At the same time, we believe Hungary has a strong mandate to pursue a strong European policy. Our work will reflect this vision of Europe,” he added.

Hungary’s programme slogan? “Make Europe Great Again” — echoing the rallying cry of Mr. Orban’s “good friend” former U.S. President Donald Trump — which already caused a stir in Brussels.

After Hungary last held the EU presidency in 2011, Mr. Orban boasted about handing out “flicks,” “smacks,” and “friendly slaps” to the “excitable tormentors” of the European Parliament.

This time, the nationalist leader (61) is even more combative, having vowed to “occupy Brussels” during the campaign for European elections in early June, banking on a right-wing breakthrough.

But even though far-right parties made gains, Mr. Orban’s Fidesz party currently stands isolated, unable to find a group in the European Parliament that suits it.

On Sunday, Mr. Orban announced he wanted to form his own group, together with Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) and the centrist ANO party of ex-Czech premier Andrej Babis. They still need parties from at least four other countries to join them.

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Last week, Mr. Orban failed to derail a deal to return Ursula von der Leyen as head of the powerful European Commission and two others from a centrist alliance taking the other top jobs.

Meanwhile, Ms. von der Leyen put off a courtesy visit to Budapest, originally planned for the Presidency opening. A new date has not been set.

Seven priorities for EU presidency

To garner support for Hungary’s programme, Mr. Orban toured key European capitals last week. Among the country’s seven priorities for its EU presidency are stemming “illegal migration” and bringing the Western Balkans countries “one step closer” to EU membership.

Mr. Orban can use the presidency to set the agenda, but he cannot achieve results without the commission’s support, Daniel Hegedus, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund told AFP.

He also noted that the Hungarian premier has limited opportunity to act as a spoiler, as the outgoing Belgian presidency and EU institutions have rushed to conclude important decisions.

Last week, the European Union adopted a fresh sanction package against Russia and formally launched “historic” accession talks with Ukraine. “Everybody was striving to reduce instability, thus restricting the room for manoeuvre for the Hungarian presidency,” Mr. Hegedus said. “But more “trolling on the communication front” is to be expected,” he added.

Among Hungary’s battles with Brussels, Budapest is looking to unlock billions of euros in EU funds frozen over issues including LGBTQ rights, the treatment of asylum seekers and public procurement.

Budapest:

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban has asserted former US president Donald Trump told him during a meeting that he would “not give a penny” to the war in Ukraine — a claim Trump’s team did not comment on.

Orban — the only EU leader to have maintained ties with the Kremlin since Russia invaded Ukraine — travelled to Florida on Friday to meet his “good friend” Trump. He has frequently expressed hope for the Republican’s return to power.

Speaking about his visit to public broadcaster M1 late Sunday, Orban said the two men spoke about the war in Ukraine during their Friday meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.

“He has a very clear vision, which is hard not to agree with. He says the following: first of all, he will not give a penny in the Ukraine-Russia war,” Orban said.

“That is why the war will end, because it is obvious that Ukraine cannot stand on its own feet… If the Americans do not give money, the Europeans alone will not be able to finance this war. And then the war is over,” he added.

When contacted by AFP, Trump’s team did not comment.

Trump however returned the praise for Orban in an interview Monday, describing him as a “tough man” and saying the Hungarian leader believed Russia would not have invaded had Trump been president.

“All of those dead people in blown-up cities because Ukraine is now just like a demolition site, what they’ve done to Ukraine — none of that would have happened,” Trump told CNBC.

– ‘Dictators’ –

US President Joe Biden reiterated his criticism of election rival Trump for meeting Orban.

“He was with Viktor Orban, who talked about democracy being the problem, and telling how much he understood and agreed with him. Come on. I mean, this is not who we are,” Biden told a campaign event Monday in New Hampshire.

Last week in a fiery State of the Union speech Biden accused Trump of “bowing down” to Russian President Vladimir Putin over Ukraine.

Biden’s campaign added Monday that Orban had “rigged his political system to keep himself in power”.

“President Biden stands up to dictators and defends freedom,” campaign spokesman Ammar Moussa said in a statement. “Donald Trump consistently praises authoritarian leaders and dictators.”

Orban meanwhile angered fellow EU leaders by meeting Putin in September and has previously spoken out against Western sanctions on Moscow.

The Hungarian also told M1 that Trump had “quite detailed plans on how to end this war”, declining to elaborate.

Orban regularly advocates for immediate ceasefire and peace talks, arguing Trump is best qualified to find a way out of the conflict.

Trump has previously expressed admiration for Putin and said he would end the war in Ukraine “in 24 hours” if he was elected.

Trump and his Republican allies have also opposed sending more aid to Ukraine, and Republicans in Congress are blocking Biden’s request for a multi-billion-dollar package of vital military assistance for Kyiv.

The first of Trump’s two impeachments while in office was for allegedly threatening to hold up aid for Ukraine, unless President Volodymyr Zelensky dug up political dirt on the Ukrainian business dealings of Biden’s son Hunter.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A file photo of former U.S. President Donald Trump and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban
| Photo Credit: AP

Former U.S. leader Donald Trump will not give money to help Ukraine fight Russia if he wins the presidency again and that will hasten an end to the war, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said after meeting him.

Mr. Orban, who is backing his long-time ally’s bid to return to the White House, met Mr. Trump in Florida on March 8.

“He will not give a penny into the Ukraine-Russia war and therefore the war will end,” Mr. Orban told state television late on March 10. “As it is obvious that Ukraine on its own cannot stand on its feet.”

“If the Americans do not give money and weapons, and also the Europeans, then this war will be over. And if the Americans do not give money the Europeans are unable to finance this war on their own, and then the war will end.”

Mr. Orban has refused to send weapons to Kyiv and kept up close economic ties with Moscow since Russian forces invaded Ukraine in 2022. He last met Russian President Vladimir Putin in October in China despite European Union efforts to isolate Moscow.

Mr. Orban said it was “another matter” how the war would be closed with peace talks after a truce, and how a stable and safe Europe would be created, but first peace must be achieved and “he (Trump) has the means for that.”

A statement from Mr. Trump’s campaign did not mention Ukraine, saying the pair discussed issues affecting both nations including their respective border security.

European leaders have long been nervous that another Trump presidency would mean waning U.S. support for both Ukraine and the NATO transatlantic military alliance.

A file photo of former U.S. President Donald Trump and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban
| Photo Credit: AP

Former U.S. leader Donald Trump will not give money to help Ukraine fight Russia if he wins the presidency again and that will hasten an end to the war, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said after meeting him.

Mr. Orban, who is backing his long-time ally’s bid to return to the White House, met Mr. Trump in Florida on March 8.

“He will not give a penny into the Ukraine-Russia war and therefore the war will end,” Mr. Orban told state television late on March 10. “As it is obvious that Ukraine on its own cannot stand on its feet.”

“If the Americans do not give money and weapons, and also the Europeans, then this war will be over. And if the Americans do not give money the Europeans are unable to finance this war on their own, and then the war will end.”

Mr. Orban has refused to send weapons to Kyiv and kept up close economic ties with Moscow since Russian forces invaded Ukraine in 2022. He last met Russian President Vladimir Putin in October in China despite European Union efforts to isolate Moscow.

Mr. Orban said it was “another matter” how the war would be closed with peace talks after a truce, and how a stable and safe Europe would be created, but first peace must be achieved and “he (Trump) has the means for that.”

A statement from Mr. Trump’s campaign did not mention Ukraine, saying the pair discussed issues affecting both nations including their respective border security.

European leaders have long been nervous that another Trump presidency would mean waning U.S. support for both Ukraine and the NATO transatlantic military alliance.

Newly elected Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok looks on as people applaud, during the spring session of parliament in Budapest, Hungary, on February 26, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Hungary’s Parliament on February 26 elected a political novice as President following the resignation of his predecessor, who caused outrage by pardoning a man convicted in a child abuse case.

The affair has turned into the biggest political crisis that nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban has faced since his return to power in 2010.

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Orban ally Katalin Novak resigned as President earlier this month after it was revealed she had pardoned a convicted child abuser’s accomplice.

Last week, ruling party Fidesz nominated Constitutional Court head Tamas Sulyok, 67, to replace Ms. Novak, Hungary’s first woman president.

On Monday, parliament — where Fidesz’ ruling coalition with the Christian Democratic KDNP holds a two-thirds majority — approved his appointment, after which he took the oath of office.

He will become President on March 5.

Little known to the broader public, Mr. Sulyok became a constitutional court judge in 2014 and, two years later, the court’s head.

The opposition has criticised the nomination of politically inexperienced Mr. Sulyok.

Around 3,000 people attended a Sunday protest by four opposition parties, calling for direct presidential elections.

The post is largely ceremonial.

‘Duller presidency’

The Novak scandal broke early this month when news site 444 revealed that she had pardoned the former deputy director of a children’s home last year, on the eve of Pope Francis’s visit.

The man was sentenced in 2022 to three years and four months in prison for helping to cover up his boss sexually abusing children and adolescents there.

Tens of thousands of people have protested against the presidential pardon in Hungary, whose government has long campaigned on a pledge to protect children.

Mr. Orban has likened the resignation of Ms. Novak to a “nightmare”, but stressed it was the right decision.

When opening the parliament session on Monday, he described Mr. Sulyok as someone with “vast experience, respected knowledge and undisputed authority”.

“I believe that Hungary needs such a president now,” he said.

Under Mr. Sulyok, the Constitutional Court made several controversial rulings, including on teachers’ rights to strike.

To calm anger over the pardon scandal, Mr. Orban has promised to tighten existing laws to bar convicted child abusers from receiving clemency.

He also wants to vet those working with children to make sure they have passed the “appropriate suitability test”, covering “lifestyle, sexual deviance and psychological fitness”.

Szabolcs Pek, a political analyst from research institute Iranytu Intezet, said the decision to appoint Sulyok, who is not a party member and described as a “reserved man”, meant Mr. Orban was playing it safe.

“We cannot expect from Tamas Sulyok the kind of world-travelling, ‘influencer’ politics that Katalin Novak represented, for his professional character and personality are the guarantee of a duller, perhaps one might say boring, presidency, which is all Fidesz needs,” he told AFP.