KYIV, Ukraine (AP) 鈥� During his first visit to neighboring Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion, Hungarian Prime Minister told President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Tuesday that the ongoing war was 鈥渢he most important issue for Europe.鈥�
Known as Russian President , Orb谩n's visit was a rare gesture in a tumultuous relationship between the two countries as Budapest has repeatedly broken ranks with the rest of the European Union and leaned toward Moscow.
The Hungarian prime minister has routinely EU efforts to extend assistance to Ukraine and to sanction Moscow over its war, frustrating both Zelenskyy and other EU leaders.
Meanwhile, on the war鈥檚 front line, Kyiv鈥檚 forces are scrambling to hold at bay in eastern Ukraine. Delays in the provision of crucial Western military aid left the Ukrainian army at the mercy of the Kremlin鈥檚 bigger and better-equipped forces.
In a sign of still frosty relations, Zelenskyy did not publicly acknowledge Orb谩n鈥檚 visit until hours after his arrival, posting on social media platform X that the two had discussed trade, cross-border cooperation, infrastructure and energy.
However, the Ukrainian president鈥檚 office released a video showing Zelenskyy thanking Orb谩n for his visit and welcoming him to the country after shaking hands and then sitting across from each other at a round table with Hungarian, Ukrainian and EU flags in the background.
The two countries have had a tense relationship since the war started with Orb谩n portraying himself as a champion for peace and calling for an immediate cease-fire and peace talks without expanding on what that would mean for Ukraine鈥檚 territorial integrity.
This visit comes the day after Hungary of the EU, a position that has little real power but can be used to set the tone of the bloc鈥檚 agenda. Hungarian officials have indicated that they will act as 鈥渉onest brokers鈥� in the role despite worries from some EU lawmakers that Hungary鈥檚 democratic track record makes it unfit to lead the bloc.
Orb谩n鈥檚 press chief, Bertalan Havasi told Hungarian news agency MTI early Tuesday the meeting would be an opportunity to build peace as Ukraine fights off Russia鈥檚 invasion.
During his visit, the Hungarian prime minister told Zelenskyy: 鈥淭his is war and peace, war between Russia and Ukraine, the invasion of Russia against Ukraine.鈥� He added that the war 鈥渋s the real issue. My target is to be here to understand how we could be helpful to Ukraine in the forthcoming six months.鈥�
The Hungarian premier, a self-described adherent of 鈥渋lliberal democracy,鈥� has long been accused by his European partners of dismantling democratic institutions at home and acting as an obstinate spoiler of key EU policy priorities. The bloc has frozen more than $20 billion in funding to Budapest over alleged rule-of-law and corruption violations, and Orb谩n has conducted numerous anti-EU campaigns depicting it as an overcentralized, repressive organization.
Orb谩n has also long in Ukraine鈥檚 western region of Zakarpattia, a community he has used to justify his refusal to provide weapons to Ukraine or allow their transfer across the two countries鈥� shared border.
His visit comes as he seeks to recruit members into a new nationalist alliance that he hopes will soon become the largest right-wing group in the European Parliament. On Sunday, Orb谩n met in Vienna with the leaders of Austria鈥檚 far-right Freedom Party and the main Czech opposition party, announcing the formation of the new group, 鈥淧atriots for Europe."
The trio would need to attract lawmakers from at least four more EU countries to successfully form a group in Europe's new parliament, which held elections in June. Right-wing nationalist parties across Europe strengthened their position in the elections, but ideological differences over the war in Ukraine and cooperation with Russia have often prevented deeper alliances among some of the parties.
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Spike reported from Budapest, Hungary.
Justin Spike And Illia Novikov, The Associated Press
