Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to consider a ceasefire in the war with Russia during his first visit to Kiev since the conflict began in February 2022.
“International diplomatic rules are slow and complicated. I asked President (Zelensky) to consider whether it would not be possible to reverse the order and accelerate peace negotiations with a quick ceasefire,” Orbán said after meeting with Zelensky in the Ukrainian capital, according to a report by the Hungarian news agency MTI.
There are currently no negotiations taking place between Kiev and Moscow and there is no sign that either side is ready to start talks without conditions unacceptable to the other side.
“The aim of the Hungarian presidency (of the European Union) is to contribute to solving the challenges facing the European Union. My first trip was therefore to Kiev,” Orbán said on Facebook.
Hungary has just taken over the six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Relations between Kiev and Budapest are seen as tense, with Orbán closer to Russia than any other EU leader.
Orbán has previously delayed aid to Ukraine and has repeatedly tried to avoid sanctions against the invading power Russia.
Hungary is still heavily dependent on Russian gas supplies, some of which flow through Ukraine despite the war. However, Kiev does not want to renew the contract, which expires at the end of this year.
Another point of contention is the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine. For years, Orbán has portrayed himself as their protector.
During a football match in late 2022, the 61-year-old also provoked people by wearing a scarf with the outline of Greater Hungary from 1920. At the time, Transcarpathia, which is now part of Ukraine, belonged to Hungary.
The last time Orbán was in Ukraine was in 2015, when Zelensky’s predecessor Petro Poroshenko was still in power.
According to media reports, Orbán’s convoy was traveling to the Hungarian embassy, the first stop on his visit to Kiev.