The Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban arrived in Kyiv for the first time since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
ICTV Facts collected all of Orban’s statements in Kyiv, the results of the meeting with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, and also analyzed, together with political scientist Vladimir Fesenko, what the visit of the Hungarian Prime Minister could mean.
Proposal to consider a ceasefire
Viktor Orban called on Vladimir Zelensky to consider a ceasefire. According to the Hungarian Prime Minister, this could supposedly speed up peace negotiations.
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According to Orban, he highly values the peaceful initiatives of the President of Ukraine, but their implementation supposedly takes a lot of time. At the same time, Orban thanked Zelensky for his frank opinion.
Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Igor Zhovkva noted that the President of Ukraine, in response to the Hungarian politician’s proposal to cease fire and begin peace negotiations with the Russian Federation, outlined his plan to end the war in accordance with the points of the Peace Formula.
— Ukraine's position is quite clear, understandable and well-known. We are talking about the fact that Ukraine wants peace. We have a tool — The peace summit that took place, and we are preparing for the second one. Ukraine will build a draft of its peace plan, road map — how to establish peace. She will work it out with all the states ready for this. And Hungary is also ready for this, — states Igor Zhovkva.
According to him, if Moscow listens to this plan, and does not speak the language of ultimatums, then during the second Summit, representatives of the Russian Federation may attend it in one way or another.
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Photo: Office of the President
Political scientist, head of the board of the Center for Applied Political Research Penta Vladimir Fesenko told ICTV Facts that the Russian dictator wants more than just a ceasefire. In his opinion, Vladimir Putin strives only for unilateral concessions to Ukraine.
— Putin doesn't just want a ceasefire. He officially announced his position. He demands that Ukraine withdraw its troops from another part of our territory, and also publicly renounce NATO. And these are only the preconditions for a ceasefire.
Big mistake — this is the idea that Putin simply wants the war to end. Nothing like this. Putin wants Ukrainian capitulation, unilateral concessions from Ukraine, and then he is ready to cease fire. But this does not mean that these will be the last and limited concessions, — Vladimir Fesenko suggested.
The political scientist does not share the opinion that Russia needs a ceasefire. He believes that this is much more beneficial for Ukraine, because a full-scale war continues on our territory.
— Orban promoted the theme of peace. Now we need a ceasefire much more than Russia, because the war continues on our territory, our people are dying, the Ukrainian infrastructure is being destroyed every day. I do not share the typical stereotypical opinion that this is beneficial to the Russian Federation. Russia does not want a ceasefire, but rather Ukraine's preliminary fulfillment of its demands. And only after this, which is not guaranteed, will there be a ceasefire, — the expert emphasized.
Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU
However, this was not the purpose of Viktor Orban’s visit to Kyiv. The Hungarian Prime Minister wanted to be in the center of political attention in order to successfully play out the theme of peace in Ukraine, said Vladimir Fesenko.
Photo: Office of the President
— This was not the subject or purpose of Orbán's visit. Orban only promoted himself on a topic that is now being discussed by politicians and the media. For Orbán, this was an opportunity to attract attention, to be the center of political attention. He played this theme of peace very successfully and gave rise to a lot of conspiracy theories surrounding the negotiations. I am already hearing and reading that Orban will supposedly be the next mediator, he has brought some kind of peace plan. No, no peace plan, Orban just successfully and cunningly played out the theme of peace, — states the analyst.
In his opinion, the purpose of Orban’s visit to Kyiv — this is a political gesture that was meant to demonstrate to the European Union and Hungary, which took over the presidency of the EU Council, that Ukraine would be a priority.
— And then the cunning Orban played everything out clearly. Ukraine was already a priority for Orban, only in a negative sense, as an object of pressure. But he showed the EU, they say, don’t worry, I admit that Ukraine — priority, I will deal with the Ukrainian issue. At the same time, he sent a signal to Italian Prime Minister Giorgi Meloni, whom he now views as a potential ally and senior partner (although he actually wants to be in charge), that he is ready to negotiate with Zelensky, — noted Vladimir Fesenko.
Informed sources report, the political scientist notes, that Meloni set such a condition for Orban if their parties cooperate in the European Parliament.
— He does not have the parliamentary votes to create his own faction. But to cooperate with Meloni's party and other far-right parties Orbán had to make these revealing public gestures, — he states.
Hungary will have limited powers at the head of the EU Council. This is rather a symbolic and ceremonial role, says Vladimir Fesenko.
In particular, the opportunity to implement certain initiatives, convene certain conferences, put some issues for discussion in the European Union.
— But all fundamental decisions are made not by one country, but jointly. Procedurally, Hungary can set dates for certain conferences and host EU summits. But Hungary cannot make fundamental decisions regarding negotiations with Ukraine, for example, expansion or non-expansion into the EU. The potential of the country that holds the presidency is limited, — he said.
According to the political scientist, for Ukraine Hungary's presidency of the EU Council — this is a challenge, not an opportunity.
— The main thing is that during the presidency Hungary does not start promoting things that are not very consistent with our interests. We have solved the main problem. Negotiations on Ukraine's accession began before the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU — this is the main thing. Otherwise, Hungary could have delayed this issue, but it failed, — drew the expert's attention.
Bases of bilateral agreement between Ukraine and Hungary
Viktor Orban said in Kyiv that he sees a solution to the issue of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine.
At the same time, Vladimir Zelensky announced the opening of the first Ukrainian school in Hungary.
— We are trying to close all previous disputes and concentrate on the future. We want to improve relations between our countries, — said Viktor Orban in Kyiv.
Photo: Office of the President
Zelensky said that today’s negotiations in Kyiv could become the basis for a bilateral agreement between Ukraine and Hungary. Orban noted that Hungary wants to sign such an agreement.
— This visit was beneficial for us, because we need, with the help of our European partners, to put pressure on Orban and persuade him to compromise. I do not share the opinion that there has been a change in Ukrainian-Hungarian relations.
There is warming, but I think that Orban will still be a certain problem for us. But today he is simply forced to make certain concessions, demonstrate constructiveness towards Ukraine, — Vladimir Fesenko believes.
Orbán's first visit since the full-scale invasion
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrived in Kyiv — this is his first visit to Ukraine in many years.
According to him, the goal of the Hungarian presidency is to contribute to solving the challenges facing the EU. Therefore, his first trip was to Kyiv, said the Hungarian politician.
Photo: Office of the President
The last time Viktor Orban was in Kyiv was in 2012 for meetings with the fugitive former president Viktor Yanukovych.
On July 1, Hungary began its six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union, replacing Belgium. Hungary plans to improve Europe's competitiveness by integrating this goal into all EU Council policies.
Recently, the Financial Times, citing sources, reported that Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte promised to give Hungary the right to refuse participation in operations outside NATO if Viktor Orban supports Ukraine.
