Orban arrives in Kyiv on first visit since beginning of full-scale war.
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Become a member Support us just onceHungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrived in Kyiv on July 2, a spokesperson confirmed to the Hungarian media outlet Index. It is Orban's first visit to Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale war. Orban will hold talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky, the spokesperson said.
The visit comes as Hungary takes over the European Union's rotating presidency of the EU Council. The appointment has sparked controversy, with some European officials calling on European Council President Charles Michel to suspend Hungary's presidency. Budapest has repeatedly opposed Ukraine's accession to NATO and the EU, sanctions on Russia, undermined Western aid efforts for Ukraine, and maintained close relations with Moscow throughout the full-scale war.
This has led to deteriorating relations between Ukraine and Hungary, which had already been strained before 2022. The previous day, unnamed sources in Budapest told the Guardian that the visit was confirmed after negotiations on the rights of the ethnic Hungarian minority living in Ukraine. "It was a precondition for the meeting that the issue of nationality rights was resolved," the source said.
"In recent weeks, an agreement has been reached. They will be able to announce this as a success." Budapest has repeatedly accused Kyiv of discriminating against the Hungarian ethnic minority concentrated in southwestern Ukraine, an accusation that the Ukrainian leadership denies.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has visited Russia at least five times since the onset of the full-scale war.
He also visited Belarus in June in violation of EU sanctions.
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