Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban will continue what he called a "peace mission" despite criticism from the European Union, Bloomberg reported on July 19.
Shortly after Hungary took over the rotating presidency on July 1, Orban met leaders of Ukraine, Moscow, China, Turkey, and U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Orban's rogue diplomatic efforts, namely his meetings with Russian and Chinese leaders Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping under the EU presidency logo, drew ire across the EU.
Brussels stressed that despite Hungary's ongoing chairmanship of the Council of the EU, the trips have not represented the bloc.
During an interview on state radio, Orban said that the EU needs to join China and the U.S. in light of potential Trump's return to power to press Russia and Ukraine to start peace negotiations, Bloomberg reported.
Orban said he will give updates on his future meetings only after they happen, as it was with his visits to Moscow and Beijing.
The summaries of Orban's recent trips were published on his website, containing 10 points.
In his conclusions, Orban claimed that the war between Ukraine and Russia will escalate, and the warring states "will not seek a way out of the war without external intervention."
He also mentioned that the EU will bear the financial burden of helping Ukraine if Trump wins the U.S. presidential elections.
Orban added that Trump will not launch any peace initiatives before the U.S. election, but if he wins, he will be ready to "act as a peace mediator immediately," even before the inauguration.
The Hungarian prime minister also suggests the EU to begin high-level talks with China at the next peace summit, restore diplomatic ties with Russia, and launch a "coordinated political offensive against the Global South, whose favor has been lost because of the EU's position on the war in Ukraine."
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on July 18 called Orban's efforts an "appeasement mission," while the Hungarian prime minister called her "naive."
The European Commission on July 15 announced that it will reduce its participation in informal meetings planned by Hungary during its EU presidency following Orban's "peace mission."
The commission will also skip the traditional visit of its commissioners to the country holding the presidency.
Martin Fornusek
