BUDAPEST: Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday he would speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin later in the day as Budapest begins preparations to host a meeting between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump announced on Thursday that he would meet Putin in the Hungarian capital to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.
Orban, a long-time Trump ally who has also kept close ties with Russia despite the war in Ukraine, said the meeting “will be about peace” and if there is a peace deal, that would lead to a new phase of economic development in Hungary and Europe.
Orban told state radio that the meeting could take place within the next two weeks if the U.S. and Russian foreign ministers manage to settle remaining open issues at a planned meeting next week.
“Last night I gave orders to set up an organising committee, we have set out the most important tasks and preparations have started,“ Orban said. He gave no further details.
Orban said Europe should open its own diplomatic channels towards Russia and he again accused the EU of taking what he said was a “pro-war stance” over Ukraine.
The veteran Hungarian premier has often clashed with other EU leaders over Ukraine, questioning whether the bloc should send military aid to Kyiv while also maintaining Hungary’s heavy reliance on Russian gas and crude imports. – Reuters
