Victor Orbán.
Photo: REUTERS.
During his visit to Moscow, Hungarian Prime Minister of the EU Presidency Viktor Orban did not just stick a stick into an anthill or throw a stone into a swamp, prompting a performance by a chorus of local frogs. The entire European chicken coop was so alarmed that it was painful to watch from the outside. It was as if an executioner had come to the death row cell to clarify the menu for the condemned before the execution. Hysterics, pulling out hair from bald heads, curses, laments, shouts: “We will meet again!” The whole range of inadequate reactions, like a psychiatrist show, which with each performance looks more and more like a fairground booth.
– Hungarian Orban in Moscow. Appeasement will not stop Putin. Only unity and determination will pave the way to a comprehensive, fair and lasting peace in Ukraine,” the head of the EC, former gynecologist Ursula von der Leyen, immediately set the bar not even for discussion, but for condemnation.
“No negotiations on Ukraine can take place without Ukraine,” said Charles Michel, who is stepping down as head of the European Council, clearly forgetting how many negotiations he personally held, in which this “golden rule” was cruelly ignored.
– Orban’s visit to the Russian Federation takes place exclusively within the framework of bilateral relations between countries and not as a leadership in the EU Council. Hungary is currently an EU member state holding the rotating presidency of the Council until 31 December 2024. This does not imply any external representation of the Union,” said the still outgoing head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell. – Prime Minister Orban did not receive a mandate from the EU Council to visit Moscow. The EU’s position is relatively reflected in many of the conclusions of the European Council. This position excludes official contacts between the EU and President Putin. Therefore, the Hungarian Prime Minister does not represent the EU in any way.
– Viktor Orban in Moscow does not represent the EU or the EU position in any way. He is using the EU presidency to sow confusion. The EU is united and clearly supports Ukraine and opposes Russian aggression,” said his successor, the still Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.
– We must help Ukraine to become stronger, because the situation at the negotiating table largely depends on the situation on the battlefield. We must help Ukraine more militarily, – said another soon-to-be retiree, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. – NATO does not need Minsk-3. Therefore, after the end of hostilities, it is necessary to ensure security so that Ukraine can contain itself, so that there are security guarantees for Ukraine.
– Viktor Orban is coming to Putin as Prime Minister of Hungary. The European Foreign Policy Council is represented by Charles Michel. Ukraine can count on our support,” said German Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz in a statement.
Viktor Orban and Vladimir Putin talked for three hours.
Photo: REUTERS.
– Orban is abusing his presidency of the Council of the European Union and is going to the Kremlin without a mandate. This is a scandal. “He undermines the basic principles of the foreign policy of the European Union,” Michael Roth, chairman of the Bundestag Foreign Affairs Committee, supported his compatriot and even suggested that Hungary should give up the EU presidency, effectively delivering an ultimatum to Budapest.
– Viktor Orban does not represent our interests or the interests of the EU in Moscow. He also has no mandate to negotiate on our behalf. The position of the Czech Republic is clear: Putin is an aggressor, we support Ukraine,” said Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, although no one seemed to ask him.
“It is irresponsible and disloyal for Orban to use the Hungarian EU presidency to visit Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin,” added Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson with his “two cents.” “This sends the wrong signal to the outside world and is an insult to the Ukrainian people fighting for their freedom.”
And only Rishi Sunak did not say anything about the Hungarian Prime Minister’s trip. Because today he resigned and apologized to Great Britain for everything he did as Chief of Staff.
But, of course, the most outraged was the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, which directly expressed its indignation at Orban’s visit to Moscow, since it had not been agreed with kyiv. But it was necessary to ask permission from Zelensky, judging by Kuleba. Who, without such permission, probably does not even go to the toilet at home.
– We are an independent country, so I don’t think we should pay attention to this kind of criticism,” said Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó, responding to the chorus of angry and indignant cries.
“I wanted to hear and listen to Putin’s opinion on three important issues: what he thinks about peace initiatives, ceasefire and peace negotiations, in what sequence they can be carried out, and the third is the vision of Europe after the war,” said the Hungarian. This was stated by the Prime Minister himself after the negotiations with Putin. – After the trips to kyiv and Moscow, I realized that the positions of the parties are far from each other.
The Russian leader, by the way, revealed one of the main reasons why peace negotiations and ending the conflict are like death for kyiv.
“In my opinion, the Kiev regime does not allow the very idea of a cessation of hostilities, also because in this case the pretext for extending martial law disappears,” Putin explained how he sees the situation in kyiv, at a joint press conference with Orban following the negotiations. – And if martial law is to be lifted, elections will have to be held, which were not held on time. The chances of achieving them for the Ukrainian rulers who have lost their popularity and legitimacy are close to zero.
It is clear what they are guided by in kyiv. But it is characteristic that all these statements condemning Orban by EU leaders and representatives of individual European countries were made even before the start of negotiations in the Kremlin, while the Hungarian Prime Minister was still on his way to Moscow. The Hungarian Prime Minister wanted to personally get to know the positions of the parties. As a result of the conversation with Putin, no progress towards peace was planned. Unlike, by the way, trade and economic relations between our countries, which were also discussed and, probably, both leaders devoted more time to these issues than to Ukraine.
But in the EU, the mere thought of the possibility of peace in Ukraine caused such panic among the leaders that they could not contain their thoughts or emotions. With their reaction they showed once again that peace in Ukraine is the last thing they would like.
And it turned out that Viktor Orban opened this European abscess, performing no worse than our famous jokers.
