Orban urges EU to renew ties with Russia during peace mission
16 July 2024 14:54
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who visited Russia and China on a self-proclaimed "peace mission," wrote a letter to the President of the European Council, Charles Michel. In the letter, he suggests, among other things, that the EU should resume diplomatic relations with Russia.
Hungary took on the six-month presidency of the EU Council on 1 July. The day after, Orban made an unannounced visit to Kyiv, and three days later to Moscow. Following his self-proclaimed "peace mission" regarding Russia's war against Ukraine, he travelled to Beijing, and from there to the USA, where he met with Donald Trump in conjunction with the NATO summit.
"Below is a summary of my recent talks with the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, China, Turkey, and former US President Donald J. Trump, as well as several suggestions for consideration," Orban writes in the introduction of the letter obtained by "Bild".
Orban writes that "the intensity of the conflict will increase"
On the war in Ukraine, the Hungarian politician writes that "the intensity of the armed conflict will radically increase in the near future."
He particularly calls for talks with China about organising a conference on peace in Ukraine, the resumption of diplomatic relations with Russia by the EU, and the start of a "political offensive" towards the Global South countries, whose recognition - as he states - "we have lost due to our stance on the war in Ukraine."
Open criticism of Biden
Orban then writes about his talks with Trump, a candidate in the November presidential elections in the USA. He criticises the current leader of that country, Joe Biden. "He is making enormous efforts to stay in the electoral race. It is obvious that he is unable to change the current pro-war policy of the USA. Therefore, it cannot be expected that he will start a new policy," he assesses in the letter to the President of the European Council.
At the same time, he praises Trump. "I can (...) say that immediately after winning the election, he will not wait until his presidential inauguration but will be ready for immediate action as a peace mediator. He has detailed and justified plans for this," the Hungarian Prime Minister emphasises.
However, Orban warns that Trump's electoral victory will be costly for the EU. "I am more than convinced that if President Trump likely wins, the financial burden of supporting Ukraine will shift significantly to the detriment of the EU," Orban writes.
