Hungary's Orban talks Ukraine peace with Putin, stirring EU outcry
SUMMARY
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss a potential peace deal for Ukraine. This visit, part of Orban's broader diplomatic efforts as Hungary assumed the EU presidency, included prior meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and forming the "Patriots for Europe" alliance. Orban's trip, the first of an EU leader to Moscow since April 2022, drew criticism from other EU leaders, who stressed the importance of unity and determination in addressing the conflict. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated, "Appeasement will not stop Putin." Orban's discussions with Putin were described as useful but Putin accused Ukraine of not wanting to end the two-and-a-half-year-old war.
