The Hungarian leader, widely seen as Vladimir Putin’s firmest ally in the EU, told a press conference after meeting the Ukrainian president that he had proposed a ceasefire as an initial means towards a peace settlement. Zelenskyy retorted that he and his government want a “just peace.”
Olexiy Haran, a Ukrainian professor of comparative politics, told TVP World in an interview that the timing of the visit was meaningful as Orbán finds himself increasingly isolated on the European stage, having blocked EU aid packages to Ukraine and tried to stall Kyiv’s accession to the bloc.
He said some Ukrainian observers had “controversial assessments” of the visit and saw the move as a “typical maneuver” by the Hungarian prime minister, while others were “cautious optimists.”
“Mr. Orban… appeared to be quite isolated in Europe because of his position regarding Putin… and he needs somehow to overcome it,” Haran said.
He also pointed out that while Hungary has obstructed aid, “On principle issues regarding relations between Ukraine and the EU,” Hungary has not blocked any decision but has toed the European line.
“Moreover, Hungary was a member of the Global Peace Summit, which was recently held in Switzerland, and Hungary signed that final communiqué,” he said. “So again, it behaved the way Western countries, EU, NATO countries behaved.”
Prof. Haran went on to highlight the effects of May’s European elections, after which Orbán’s Fidesz was excluded from its European parliamentary faction. He said getting back into the conservative bloc depends heavily on Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, who has reportedly demanded that Orbán stop blocking Ukraine and start supporting Kyiv.
Prof. Haran concluded that as an experienced politician, Orbán is certainly maneuvering, but said although he “wouldn’t paint a rosy picture” of bilateral relations between Budapest and Kyiv, both countries are trying to build bridges and there is room for compromise. Such compromises would probably center around the other key topics of the talks—Ukraine’s Hungarian minority, Haran said.
