Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked the European Council for nothing less than nuclear weapons or a NATO membership. The Ukrainian president presented his five-point ‘victory plan’ to EU leaders on Thursday, which is more of a wish list than an actual plan. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán called it a ‘lose-lose situation’ and firmly stated that Hungary will not participate in it.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has carried out a government reshuffle unprecedented since the outbreak of the war, with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba being the most notable victim. Ukraine’s situation on the battlefield is becoming increasingly difficult, and many believe the Kursk incursion was a significant mistake, ultimately falling on Zelenskyy’s shoulders. Thus the changes in his government may be part of the Ukrainian president’s efforts to sideline political opponents and silence dissenting voices.
After Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated on Wednesday that Ukraine was ready to negotiate with Russia if Moscow ‘acts in good faith’, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded on Thursday that Russia was willing to negotiate with Ukraine even if Volodymyr Zelenskyy remains president. Viktor Orbán’s peace mission has undoubtedly contributed to these positive developments towards peace, and the Hungarian Prime Minister could play a crucial role in mediating further talks.
According to press reports, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán’s proposal for a time-bound ceasefire in Ukraine. However, Zelenskyy praised the start of ‘completely different relations’ between Hungary and Ukraine, which could soon be formalized in a new agreement between the two countries.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to consider a time-bound ceasefire during talks in Kyiv on Tuesday. The two leaders discussed contentious issues between their countries, both described the meeting as constructive.
On Wednesday Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held telephone talks. The discussion focused on promoting bilateral relations and the ongoing war in Ukraine, with Zelenskyy inviting Orbán to the Global Peace Summit scheduled to take place in June.
Tensions are escalating between the political and military leadership in Ukraine, as press reports indicate that Volodymyr Zelenskyy attempted to dismiss Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny. The Ukrainian president’s room for manoeuvre seems to be diminishing, and he needs his European allies now more than ever to survive.
With Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressing a desire to negotiate with two pro-peace leaders on the right, Donald Trump and Viktor Orbán, it appears that the Ukrainian president is anticipating a potentially unfavourable scenario for Ukraine: a right-wing shift in both Europe and overseas.
All indications suggest that Viktor Orbán and Volodymyr Zelenskyy may soon be sitting down at the negotiating table. The parties have a multitude of contentious issues to discuss, beginning with the rights of the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia.
Photographs and television footage from the inauguration revealed a meeting and exchange of words between PM Orbán of Hungary and President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. According to the Hungarian PM’s chief press secretary, the two statesmen were discussing the ongoing negotiations about Ukraine’s potential EU accession.
Hungarian Conservative is a quarterly magazine on contemporary political, philosophical and cultural issues from a conservative perspective.