Orbán’s visit to Moscow sparks dismay in Brussels

Only days into it taking over the rotating presidency of the European Council and Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orbán has drawn the ire of Brussels for his unscheduled visit to Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

It follows a surprise meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Monday where the two were said to have had a relatively cordial meeting; considering Orban’s flat refusal to provide political or military support for war-torn Ukraine.

As soon as reports of the Moscow trip emerged, president of the European Council Charles Michel hit out at Orbán reminding him he has “no mandate” to negotiate on the behalf on the EU during his tenure.

Polish president Donald Tusk tweeted, “The rumours about your visit to Moscow cannot be true PM Orbán, or can they?”

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo described the news of the visit as “disturbing” saying Orbán’s visit shows “disregard” for the duties of the presidency and “undermines” the interests of the European Union.

The trip has also overshadowed Hungary’s attempts to publicise the government’s priorities over the next six months, including a more hardline implementation of migration policies, deveoplement of the European defence strategy and supporting a smooth transition to a new College of Commissioners following the European Parliament elections.

Meanwhile Hungarian officials have told Euronews the government’s policy in Ukraine is that ‘both parties’ need to negotiate an end to the conflict, and that there was ‘no military solution’.

However, one official conceded that “against our best intentions towards the war, it will last a while.”

“We condemn the aggression; we feel very strongly for Ukraine”, they said, “but the two sides need to resolve the matter.”

Officials also doubled down on Hungary’s refusal to provide any lethal military equipment to Kyiv despite the heavy civilian casualties and brutal Russian occupation.

“We do not deliver lethal equipment; our job [in government] is to provide the security of Hungary and no other country.”

“Our role in this is to protect the sovereignty of our own country; this is what we’re responsible for”, they said.