Viktor Orban Pope Francis's Preferential Partner

Pope Francis will receive Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in a private audience, Italian press agencies have reported widely after the Holy See's press office released the information. The pontiff is scheduled to meet Hungary's prime minister on December 4. The audience will take place at 8 am in the Paul VI Hall in the Vatican. The interest shown by the Italian media indicates the high importance attached to the visit of the Hungarian prime minister to the Holy See.

Pope Francis meets Viktor Orban (Photo: AFP)

Like the Vatican, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban wanted to take concrete steps to assess the possibilities of ending the war between Ukraine and Russia. On July 2, 2024, one day after taking over the presidency of the EU Council, the Hungarian rime minister paid an unexpected visit to Kyiv. During the talks, he urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to step up efforts for a ceasefire. Two days later, on July 5, Prime Minister Viktor Orban paid a visit to Moscow as part of his peace mission. Although both visits provoked strong reactions in EU circles, the Vatican appreciated the concrete efforts to bring about peace.

Cover photo: Pope Francis meets Viktor Orban (Photo: AFP)