Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary made a significant visit to Moscow on Friday, marking a rare trip by a Western leader to Russia. The visit has sparked controversy within the European Union.
Mr. Orban is scheduled to meet with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia following his recent visit to President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.
A spokesperson for Mr. Orban, Zoltan Kovacs, stated that the Hungarian leader’s visit to Moscow is part of a “peace mission.” Meanwhile, Dmitri S. Peskov, the spokesperson for President Putin, mentioned that discussions between the two leaders would include topics such as Ukraine.
Mr. Orban aims to facilitate peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, despite Ukrainian leaders’ reluctance to engage in talks with Russia due to fears of potential capitulation demands from Mr. Putin.
This visit marks the first time a European Union leader has officially met with President Putin since the initial stages of the Ukraine invasion. Previously, in April 2022, the Austrian chancellor, Karl Nehammer, undertook a similar visit to Russia.
Furthermore, this meeting represents the first direct interaction between Mr. Orban and Mr. Putin since their last encounter in October 2023 during an international summit in Beijing.
