Vocally opposed to the West’s military support for Ukraine, Orbán’s visit comes shortly after Hungary assumed the EU Council presidency.
“The most important topic of the talks is the chance to create peace,” Orbán’s press chief, Bertalan Havasi, said in a statement to Reuters via email. He added that the leaders would also cover bilateral relations between Hungary and Ukraine.
Orbán has consistently opposed EU efforts to aid Ukraine in its defense since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
In May 2023, he said Ukraine could not win a war with Russia, and giving the country military aid from the West would only increase the number of war casualties.
Orbán believes Ukraine and Russia should begin peace talks as soon as possible. The Hungarian prime minister has criticized the sanctions imposed on Russia, saying that they do more damage to the EU economy than to Moscow.
Earlier this year, EU leaders sought legal loopholes to overcome Orbán’s veto to approve €50 billion in new aid for Ukraine.
In the spring of this year, the Hungarian prime minister said that Ukraine is no longer a sovereign state because it is dependent on Western aid.
Last week, the EU initiated membership negotiations with Ukraine, a significant political gesture amidst its ongoing conflict with Russia, although the path to accession remains formidable.
Hungary will hold the EU presidency for the next six months after Orbán took over from Belgium’s Alexander De Croo in Brussels on Monday. When Hungary’s term expires on December 31, Poland will assume the role from January 1, 2025.
