Orban and Trump discuss Ukraine peace efforts at Mar‑a-Lago
7:37 AM EDT, July 12, 2024
Viktor Orban met with Donald Trump on Thursday at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. According to the Hungarian Prime Minister's spokesman, the main topic of discussion was "peace opportunities" in Ukraine.
The spokesman emphasized that these talks represent another step in the "peace mission," which aims to achieve a ceasefire and establish peace in Ukraine.
No details were provided about the course of the meeting. The Hungarian Embassy in Washington declined to comment on the matter.
In a conversation with Reuters, Peter Szijjarto, Hungary's foreign minister, expressed his belief that Trump's victory in the upcoming U.S. presidential elections could increase the chances of peace in Ukraine. Szijjarto added that Orban wants to initiate direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
Reuters notes that Orban, known for supporting Trump, unexpectedly visited Kyiv, Moscow, and Beijing. The European Union and NATO did not receive these visits well. The visit to Moscow was particularly criticized, as Orban had no mandate to represent the EU or NATO. Many critics accused him of legitimizing Putin's actions.