Ukraine’s Zelensky urges Hungary’s Orban to ‘join’ Kyiv’s peace efforts

KYIV - President Volodymyr Zelensky on July 2 said he had urged Hungary’s Moscow-friendly prime minister Viktor Orban to join Ukraine’s efforts to bring peace after Russia’s 2022 invasion.

Mr Zelensky said in his evening address that during talks with Mr Orban he had talked about Kyiv’s steps to bring peace in conjunction with international partners, adding: “I invited Hungary and Prime Minister Orban to join the relevant efforts.”

Mr Orban made his first wartime visit to Ukraine on July 2 and standing next to Mr Zelensky, appealed to Kyiv to work towards a “quick ceasefire”.

Ukraine has repeatedly rejected calls for a pause in fighting, which it says would just give Russia time to regroup for a fresh assault.

Mr Zelensky noted in a video address posted on social media that Mr Orban was making his first visit “in many years” and said this was a significant trip as it “comes right after Hungary’s EU presidency begins”.

“This is a clear signal of how important it is for all of us in Europe to remain united and take joint steps,” Mr Zelensky said.

Unlike many other European leaders, Mr Orban had not visited Kyiv since Russia invaded in February 2022 and is widely seen as the 27-member bloc’s most pro-Russian leader.

The Ukrainian president said that during his talks with Mr Orban, he had thanked international participants in

a peace summit in Switzerland

in June and talked about

preparations for a second one.

“I spoke about what we have already achieved with our partners in the work between the summits, preparing for the second Peace Summit. There are good developments, and there will be even more,” Mr Zelensky said. AFP