Viktor Orbán Explores the Possibility of a Ceasefire on his Visit to Kyiv

Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian Prime Minister holding the rotating presidency of the European Council, arrived in Kyiv on Tuesday morning for talks with Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, the Prime Minister’s press chief informed from the Ukrainian capital.

During his visit to Kiev on Tuesday, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to consider a time-bound ceasefire. The Hungarian Prime Minister stressed that his first trip after taking over the EU Presidency was here, because the issue of peace is important not only in Ukraine, but also in Europe as a whole. He added that the war that the Ukrainians were now suffering had a profound impact on European security.

The rules of international diplomacy are slow and complicated. I have asked the President to consider whether the order could be reversed and a quick ceasefire could speed up peace talks. A time-bound ceasefire, with the possibility of speeding up the peace talks: I have explored the possibilities,”

he said.
He added that he had clarified this with the Ukrainian President and was grateful for the frankness of the talks and the answers.
The Hungarian Prime Minister said that the talks on bilateral issues were constructive, adding that it was high time for the meeting to take place, because there are many issues that need to be settled and which have been the subject of much discussion and debate in recent years.

We are trying to put the discussions of the past behind us and focus on the period ahead,”

he stressed.

Viktor Orbán said that he would like to see much better relations between the two countries, and that Hungary would therefore like to conclude a comprehensive cooperation agreement with Ukraine, similar to the one it has already concluded with other neighboring countries. He stressed that Hungary is willing to participate in the modernization of the Ukrainian economy to the extent of its capacity and would like to see a structured framework for this.

On the issue of the indigenous Hungarian minority in Ukraine, the Hungarian Prime Minister said that he saw a chance for progress. Furthermore, concerning the subject of Ukrainians living in Hungary, he said that he welcomed Volodymyr Zelensky’s initiative to open a Ukrainian school in Hungary. The Hungarian state would finance it and as many schools as were needed would be run. If one, then one, if ten, then ten, he added.
The Hungarian Prime Minister reminded that Ukrainians used to live in Hungary, and there is a Ukrainian self-government, but because of the high number of refugees there are now many more of them than before. These families must be looked after, they need work, a livelihood and security, and the children need good schools and good teachers.

The last brief engagement of the two leaders in Brussels went viral, where the Hungarian Prime Minister seems to have a very lively exchange of views with his Ukrainian counterpart, though the content of the discussion remains unknown.

Zelenskyy and Orban had a lively discussion before the European Council meeting in Brussels

The video captured their conversation, but the exact content remains undisclosed. pic.twitter.com/I0Vj4ag9Uu

— MH Chronicle (@MHNewsDaily) June 27, 2024

The tensions between the Ukrainian and Hungarian governments predate the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2014, they mostly concern allegations of serious human rights violations against the Hungarian minority in Western Ukraine, that numbered some 150.000 before the war. These include discriminatory language laws, curbing of cultural rights, attacks against historic monuments, as well as the intimidation of teachers and political leaders of the Hungarian minority. The tensions were exacerbated when the government of Viktor Orbán refused to supply weapons to Ukraine after the outbreak of full-scale war in 2022.

Orbán Viktor Kijevben pic.twitter.com/AbamkowVTw

— Bede Zsolt (@Bede_Zsolti) July 2, 2024

President Zelensky published a post on his social media account informing “I welcome Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on his first visit to Ukraine in 12 years. Today, we will discuss ways to bring a just and lasting peace closer. I thank Hungary for attending the Peace Summit and supporting its final communiqué. Our work in this format truly helps to put an end to the war”.

I welcome Hungary’s Prime Minister @PM_ViktorOrban on his first visit to Ukraine in 12 years.

Today, we will discuss ways to bring a just and lasting peace closer. I thank Hungary for attending the Peace Summit and supporting its final communiqué. Our work in this format truly… pic.twitter.com/eLMfeC8hUn

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 2, 2024

 

Featured Image: MTI/Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Fischer Zoltán