PM Orban Urges Zelensky to Consider a Prompt Ceasefire

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, currently heading the rotating presidency of the European Council, called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a visit to Kyiv on Tuesday to consider a prompt ceasefire.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Kyiv (Photo: Hungarian PM’s Press Office/Zoltan Fischer)

The Hungarian prime minister arrived in Kyiv on Tuesday morning, where at a joint press conference following talks with Volodymyr Zelensky, he thanked the Ukrainian president for the invitation and indicated that the two had agreed in Brussels last Thursday on having the meeting.

The Hungarian prime minister stressed:

His first trip after taking over the EU Presidency was to Ukraine, because the issue of peace is important not only for Ukraine, but also for all of Europe. He added that the war that the Ukrainians have been suffering is having a profound impact on European security.

Mr Orban expressed his appreciation for the initiatives taken by the president of Ukraine to promote peace, but told Volodymyr Zelensky that these initiatives take a long time. 

The rules of international diplomacy make this slow and complicated. I have asked the President to consider reversing the order: first a quick ceasefire that could accelerate the peace talks. I have explored the possibilities of a time-framed ceasefire, with the potential of speeding up the peace process,

he said. 

I welcome Hungary’s Prime Minister @PM_ViktorOrban on his first visit to Ukraine in 12 years.

Today, we will discuss ways to bring a just and lasting peace closer. I thank Hungary for attending the Peace Summit and supporting its final communiqué. Our work in this format truly… pic.twitter.com/eLMfeC8hUn

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 2, 2024

He had clarified this with the Ukrainian president and was grateful for the frank discussions and responses. He also indicated that he would prepare a report on the talks for the EU heads of state and government in the Council on which the necessary European decisions could be taken.

The Hungarian PM wished Ukraine every success and promised to be at Ukraine's disposal throughout the Hungarian EU presidency to help in whatever way the government could.

The Ukrainian president expressed his gratitude that Prime Minister Orban's first visit after the start of Hungary's EU presidency was to Ukraine. "This demonstrates our common European priority", he stressed.

It is important to have peace, to put the strengthening of Europe on a new basis,

he stressed.

Focus on the future 

On Hungary-Ukraine relations, Mr Orban stressed that he had arrived in Kyiv with the intention of making progress in bilateral relations. The Hungarian PM said that the talks on bilateral issues were constructive, adding that it was high time for the meeting to take place, because there are a number of issues that need to be settled and which have been the subject of much discussion and debate in recent years.

We are trying to put the conflicts of the past behind us and focus on the period ahead,

he stressed.

PM Orban said that he would like to see much better relations between the two countries, and that Hungary would like to conclude a comprehensive cooperation agreement with Ukraine, similar to the one it has already concluded with other neighboring countries.

He indicated that Hungary is willing to participate in the modernization of the Ukrainian economy to the extent of its capacity and would like to see a structured framework for this. 

On the issue of the indigenous Hungarian ethnic minority living in Ukraine, Hungary's prime minister said that he sees a chance of making progress.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also touched on bilateral relations. 

Today, together with Prime Minister Orban, we discussed the most fundamental issues in our relations: trade, cross-border cooperation, infrastructure and energy issues, everything that affects people's lives, particularly in Ukraine and Hungary,

said Volodymyr Zelensky.  He told the press conference held jointly with the Hungarian prime minister that:

Everything we have discussed today will form the basis for a future bilateral document between our countries, which will govern all aspects of our relationship and will be mutually beneficial for both countries. 

He said that he has raised the idea of opening a Ukrainian school in Hungary for Ukrainian children living there, and Viktor Orban assured him of his support for the initiative.

Photo: Hungarian PM's Press Office/Zoltan Fischer

Regarding Ukrainians living in Hungary, Viktor Orban said that he welcomed Volodymyr Zelensky's initiative to open a school teaching in the Ukrainian language in Hungary. 

The Hungarian state will provide the funds, he said, and there will be as many schools as needed, he said.

"If one is needed, we'll have one, if ten is needed, we'll have ten," he added.

PM Orban pointed out that Ukrainians have lived in Hungary in the past, they also have a minority self-government, but due to the high number of refugees, there are now many more Ukrainians than before.

These families need to be looked after, they need jobs, livelihoods and security, and the children need good schools and good teachers,

PM Orban stressed, adding that it is important for Ukrainians living in Hungary to feel at home.

Ukraine's president expressed his gratitude to Hungary for the humanitarian aid provided to Ukraine, stressing that he considers the protection of human lives a top priority. "Hungary is ready to cooperate effectively to achieve long-term security in our region and in Europe," he said. He highlighted that he and Viktor Orban have discussed in detail how Hungary could participate in organizing a second global peace summit, which Kiev hopes could take place as early as this year. We will be grateful to Hungary if it supports us in this effort, he added. 

It is important that Hungary's EU presidency is effective. Even though we do not always share the same political views, we both work for the strengthening of Europe, for social development and the economic prosperity of European companies,

he emphasized.

Volodymyr Zelensky expects that Ukraine's accession to the EU will be a long process, indispensably requiring dynamism. It is important that Europe continues to support Ukraine and that cooperation between his country and all its neighbors is both successful and mutually beneficial, he said.

Viktor Orban in excellent negotiating position

The possibility of creating peace is the key topic of the talks and Viktor Orban can contribute to it not only as Hungary's prime minister, but also as a representative of the EU, security policy expert Istvan Gyarmati told Magyar Nemzet.

Hungary holding the EU presidency can help Ukraine to be more understanding towards peace terms and the European Union to be more understanding towards the situation in Ukraine, the security expert told our newspaper. "There is no doubt that this is a good position. The prime minister's tactical acumen cannot be called into question, and they could have prepared this at their unexpected surprise meeting in Brussels earlier," the security expert said.

Cover photo: In the photo released by the Hungarian PM's Press Office, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (left) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shake hands during their joint press conference after talks in Kyiv on July 2, 2024 (Photo: MTI/Hungarian PM's Press Office/Zoltan Fischer)