'Fasten Your Seat Belts' - Budapest Announces Unexpected Meetings, Says 'Peace Mission Intensifies'

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban hinted at upcoming "unexpected meetings" similar to his recent visit with Vladimir Putin in Moscow and Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv during an interview with Roger Koppel, editor-in-chief of Swiss website Die Weltwoche.

"Next week, I will have meetings that will be just as unexpected," Orban stated during the interview on the plane, adding that the first surprise meeting is set for the morning of July 8.

Following Orban's remarks, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto issued a statement advising "European pro-war politicians" to "fasten their seat belts" for the coming week.

"The peace mission continues and even intensifies," Szijjarto said in a video address.

In an earlier post, Szijjarto mentioned that "Hungary's government is working" and assured that the next six months would "focus on a peacekeeping mission".

Orban's visit to Moscow on July 5 came just days after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. Upon his arrival in Russia, Orban emphasised that the "peace mission continues," calling Moscow the "second stop."

During their meeting, Putin told Orban that he was ready to bypass certain "nuances" of peace proposals to address the war in Ukraine.

However, at a press conference, Putin reiterated Russia's readiness to negotiate based on earlier terms.

The terms, mentioned by the Kremlin chief earlier, imply that there could be no territorial compromise with Kyiv and that Ukraine has to cede all territory in the four regions “within the administrative borders that existed at the time of their entry into Ukraine.”

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His following condition was that Ukraine agree to become a neutral, non-aligned, and non-nuclear state and demilitarise and accept “denazification” within the framework of the aborted 2022 Istanbul agreements. 

Orban acknowledged that Russia and Ukraine's positions are still far apart.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry criticised Orban's visit to Moscow, stating it was made "without consent or coordination" with Ukraine and reminded of the principle of "no discussions about Ukraine without Ukraine."