Hungary has chosen not to sign the EU declaration regarding Ukraine.
In an unexpected move, Hungary has become the sole EU member state to not support a joint statement backing Ukraine ahead of the recent Trump-Putin summit in Alaska. The decision was made due to the objections of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who took issue with the statement setting conditions for a peace negotiation from which the EU was excluded.
Orbán argued that EU leaders were being sidelined and proposed that the EU should pursue its own summit with Russia to promote peace, rather than merely endorsing the US-Russia talks. His stance on EU sanctions against Russia is critical, with his government opposing EU military aid to Ukraine and viewing it as a means of prolonging the conflict. The Hungarian government has also criticized sanctions on Russia as ineffective and harmful to Europe’s economy, going as far as to force the lifting of some EU sanctions on Russian individuals in the past.
Orbán has positioned himself as a mediator, having visited Putin in Moscow during Hungary’s EU presidency, emphasizing dialogue with Russia rather than a confrontational approach. This stance has not been well received by many of his EU colleagues, who see Hungary's refusal to join the joint statement as a step away from the collective EU position.
The joint statement, signed by the remaining 26 EU states, emphasized the need for a just and lasting peace that brings stability and security, respecting international law. It also welcomed US President Donald Trump's efforts to end the Russian attack on Ukraine and reiterated the demand for a just and lasting peace, which had already been made by Germany, France, Italy, Poland, the UK, Finland, and the EU Commission over the weekend.
Looking ahead, during Hungary's EU Council presidency in the second half of 2024, Orbán is expected to visit the Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow. This visit could further solidify Hungary's position as a potential mediator between the EU and Russia, a role that has proven controversial within the EU.
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