Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stirred controversy at an EU summit in Brussels by justifying his recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and claiming that he was the only leader actively seeking peace in Ukraine, contrary to the stance of most other EU leaders. Orban’s decision to engage with Putin and his views on Russia have found support within the EU, notably from the new Slovak Prime Minister, Robert Fico, who shares similar sentiments. This has added an intriguing dynamic to the traditional fall summit of the 27 EU leaders. The upcoming participation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who will join the summit via video link, will further highlight Orban’s controversial meeting with Putin in Beijing last week.
The Associated Press has the story:
EU Summit: Orban reaffirms to Putin his commitment to engaging with Russia
Newslooks- BRUSSELS (AP)
Quick read
- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s justification for meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his claim of being the sole leader seeking peace in Ukraine stirred controversy at an EU summit in Brussels.
- Orban’s stance on Russia and his willingness to engage with Putin found support within the EU, notably from Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, adding an intriguing dynamic to the 27 EU leaders’ traditional fall summit.
- The participation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, joining the summit via video link, further highlighted the controversial meeting between Orban and Putin in Beijing.
- Orban emphasized the importance of open communication with Russia for pursuing a strategy of peace, in stark contrast to the EU’s official position of isolating Putin since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
- Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, like Orban, expressed positive views about Russia and questioned the effectiveness of EU war-related sanctions against Moscow. Fico had previously promised to withdraw Slovakia’s military support for Ukraine during his election campaign and continued to insist on a thorough analysis of the impact of sanctions.
- Orban, facing the potential loss of his key EU ally in Poland after the opposition’s victory in Poland’s recent national election, may seek to influence EU policies. The new Polish leadership, led by former EU Council President Donald Tusk, aims to shift Poland’s role in EU decision-making, potentially jeopardizing Orban’s political alliances.
- Orban’s stance could significantly impact Ukraine, affecting issues such as EU financial support and arms deliveries. He also has the potential to veto Ukraine’s application for EU membership, which requires unanimous agreement among current EU members.
- Despite Orban’s strong public statements, European diplomats noted that his position rarely results in intransigence behind closed doors. The 27 EU nations have generally maintained unity since February 2022, despite occasional delays in implementing sanctions due to Orban’s additional demands.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stirred controversy at an EU summit in Brussels by justifying his recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and claiming that he was the only leader actively seeking peace in Ukraine, contrary to the stance of most other EU leaders.
Orban’s decision to engage with Putin and his views on Russia have found support within the EU, notably from the new Slovak Prime Minister, Robert Fico, who shares similar sentiments. This has added an intriguing dynamic to the traditional fall summit of the 27 EU leaders.
The upcoming participation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who will join the summit via video link, will further highlight Orban’s controversial meeting with Putin in Beijing last week.
Orban defended his approach by emphasizing the importance of maintaining open communication with Russia to pursue a strategy of peace. He firmly asserted, “We are the only ones advocating for peace, which should be in the interest of all of Europe,” in contrast to the EU’s official position of isolating Putin since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
In a surprising turn of events, Orban found support from Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who, like Orban, has expressed positive views about Russia and questioned the effectiveness of the EU’s series of war-related sanctions against Moscow. Fico had previously pledged during his election campaign to withdraw Slovakia’s military support for Ukraine, a stance he maintained during the summit, insisting on a thorough analysis of the impact of sanctions before supporting them.
Orban, who faces the potential loss of his key ally in the EU, Poland, after the opposition’s victory in Poland’s recent national election, may leverage his position to influence EU policies. The new Polish leadership, led by former EU Council President Donald Tusk, aims to shift Poland’s role in EU decision-making, which could jeopardize Orban’s existing political alliances.
The implications for Ukraine are significant, as Orban’s stance could impact issues such as EU financial support and arms deliveries to the country. Furthermore, he may potentially veto Ukraine’s application for EU membership, as such a decision requires unanimous agreement among the current EU members.
However, European diplomats noted that Orban’s strong statements outside the summit rarely translate into intransigence behind closed doors. Despite occasional delays in implementing sanctions due to Orban’s additional demands, the 27 EU nations have generally remained unified since February 2022.
