Hungarian PM's visit to Moscow is insult to Ukrainian people – Swedish PM

Ulf Kristersson, Prime Minister of Sweden, has described Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s visit to Moscow as an insult to the Ukrainian people.

Source: Kristersson on Twitter (X), as reported by European Pravda

Details: Kristersson said it was "irresponsible and disloyal" of Orbán to use Hungary’s presidency in the EU to visit Russian ruler Vladimir Putin.

Quote: "It sends the wrong signal to the outside world and is an insult to the Ukrainian people’s fight for their freedom."

He added that Orbán "stands alone in this".

"He does not speak for the European Union and not for other EU Heads of State or Government," Kristersson added.

Background:

• On 5 July, Putin met with Orbán in the Kremlin to discuss a range of issues, including some concerning the situation in Ukraine. He kicked off the meeting with an ultimatum for Kyiv.
• Bertalan Havasi, the press chief for Orbán's office, announced that Orbán had arrived in Moscow as part of his "peace mission" and would meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Orbán’s visit to Russia comes just a few days after he visited Kyiv on 2 July.
• EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell said Orbán's visit to Moscow is taking place solely within the framework of bilateral relations between Hungary and Russia and is not part of Hungary's presidency of the EU Council.
• Orbán did not inform the European Commission about his plans to visit Moscow and did not coordinate his actions with it.
• Orbán himself stated that Hungary has no mandate to hold peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.

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