Putin's Closest Ally in Europe Arrives in Kyiv for Showdown Talks

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán arrived in Kyiv Tuesday for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in his first visit to the country since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The visit aimed to discuss peace possibilities and bilateral relations between Hungary and Ukraine, a relationship strained by Orbán's controversial stance on the Russia-Ukraine war.

The Context

Orbán's visit follows Hungary's assumption of the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union on July 1, 2024. This leadership role comes amid widespread concern over Hungary's democratic backsliding and its close ties with Russia. Known as one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest allies within the EU, Orban has frequently obstructed the bloc's efforts to support Ukraine and impose sanctions on Moscow.

Hungarian officials have stated that they will act as "honest brokers" in the EU Council leadership position.

Critics of the Hungarian government say that it has centralized power, restricted media freedom, weakened judicial independence and altered electoral laws in order to benefit the Fidesz party, of which Orbán is the leader.

International bodies, including the EU, have expressed concerns that these actions undermine the principles of democracy.

The bloc has frozen more than $20 billion in funding to Budapest over alleged rule-of-law and corruption violations, according to the Associated Press. Orbán has initiated numerous anti-EU communications campaigns where the body is depicted as repressive and overcentralized.

While Hungary is not the only nation to hold back from condemning the war on Ukraine, it's stance is very different to many EU and NATO members. It has taken a mostly neutral position, pushing a generic message of peace.

Newsweek reached out to a representative of the Hungarian government via email and they directed us to the following post on X from State Secretary Zoltán Kovács by way of a statement.

The post reads: "@PM_ViktorOrban in Kyiv: "Great discussions with President@ZelenskyyUa in Kyiv. Our focus: peace in Europe and strengthening Hungarian-Ukrainian relations."

It continued that, "The prime minister also highlighted the importance of supporting the Hungarian community in Ukraine and welcomed the initiative to establish a Ukrainian school in Hungary, ensuring adequate educational facilities for Ukrainian refugees."

"As the current EU Council President, Prime Minister Orbán emphasized the importance of peace for all of Europe and discussed accelerating peace talks through a ceasefire with President Zelenskyy. PM Orbán noted that he will report to the @EUCouncil on these discussions, aiming for necessary European decisions, and added that Hungary is ready to support Ukraine during its #HU24EU presidency," the post said.

What We Know

According to Orbán's spokesperson, Zoltan Kovacs, who confirmed Orbán was in Kyiv, the focus of discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be on achieving peace and addressing issues in Hungarian-Ukrainian relations.

Orbán has criticized Ukraine for what Budapest describes as inadequate protections for the rights of its Hungarian minority, Politico reported.

Newsweek spoke with Zsolt Enyedi of the Central European University. Enyedi is a Professor of Political Science and an expert in Hungarian Politics. He said that he does not expect this visit to result in any significant impact on the conflict in Ukraine.

He told Newsweek: "Orban hopes that soon negotiations will begin and that he can play the role of intermediary not only between Ukraine and Russia but also between the US and the EU.

"The prospect of a Trump victory will soften his anti-American discourse, but he will remain a staunch opponent of an international world order built on rule of law, human rights, and progressive values, making him a reliable Putin-ally."

Newsweek has reached out to a representative of the Ukrainian government via email for comment on the visit.

The visit follows an unofficial meeting between the two leaders on June 27. During the European Council summit in Brussels that day, Orbán and Zelensky were seen having what was described as an animated and frank discussion.

What's Next

Enyedi said: "I don't think Orban will change his pro-Russia attitude. Now he needs to soften his opposition to the Ukrainian government in order to make alliance-building in Europe easier, but he will continue to drag his feet whenever support for Ukraine will be on the agenda."

He also told us that in terms of Hungarian-Ukrainian relations, he believes the visit could result in concessions given to Hungarians living in Ukraine and improved economic cooperation.

Orbán's visit could signal a potential thaw in Hungarian-Ukrainian relations, especially as Ukraine continues to push for EU membership and greater support from European allies. As Hungary holds the EU presidency for the next six months, its role could influence the bloc's policies towards Ukraine and the broader geopolitical landscape. Observers will be watching closely to see if this visit leads to any substantive changes in Hungary's stance or EU policies​​.

Correction, 7/9/24, 4:40 a.m. ET: This article was updated to correct the spelling of Zsolt Enyedi's first name.

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