Viktor Orban travels to Moscow to meet Vladimir Putin, sparking outcry in EU

Budapest, which has held the six-monthly presidency of the Council of the European Union since July 1, has received “no mandate” from the EU, its foreign minister, Josep Borrell, said on Friday.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrived in Moscow on Friday, July 5, to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, provoking an outcry at the head of the EU, which denounces any attempt to“appeasement”.

Three days after his first trip to kyiv since the start of the Russian offensive, the Hungarian nationalist leader went to Moscow “as part of its peace mission”according to the Hungarian government. Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, assured a state television reporter that the two leaders would discuss the war in Ukraine “among other things”.

Budapest, which has held the six-monthly presidency of the Council of the European Union since 1 July, has not received “no mandate” of the EU, its foreign minister, Josep Borrell, said on Friday. This trip “takes place exclusively within the framework of bilateral relations between Hungary and Russia”he added.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, for her part judged on X that the temptation of“appeasement will not stop[it] not Putin.” “Only unity and determination will pave the way for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in Ukraine”she stressed.

Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, which brings together the leaders of the Twenty-Seven, reacted on Thursday evening to the unofficial announcement of this trip. “The rotating EU presidency has no mandate to engage in dialogue with Russia on behalf of the EU,” he wrote on X on Thursday. “The position of the European Council is clear: Russia is the aggressor, Ukraine is the victim. No discussion can take place without Ukraine.”

Josep Borrell also stressed on Friday that the EU’s position, repeatedly reaffirmed by the European Council, excluded “official contacts between the EU and President Putin.” Viktor Orban “therefore does not represent the EU in any way”, he insisted.

“If we sit in Brussels, we will not be able to move closer to peace. Action must be taken”argued Viktor Orban on Friday morning during a radio interview, when asked about his visit to kyiv on Tuesday.

“Hungary does not have the mandate or the international political weight (…) but we can be an instrument in the service of God and those who want peace”he said, while acknowledging that “the path will be[it] long as the positions of the two camps are far apart.”

Hungary will hold the six-monthly presidency of the Council of the European Union, which brings together the ministers of the Twenty-Seven, until the end of December.

This rotating presidency allows the country holding it to control the agenda of the meetings of the 27, with the exception of those of the foreign ministers, a power which is not insignificant but not absolute, according to several European diplomats.

Hungary had promised to hold the presidency “normal” by presenting to the press its priorities for the next six months.