Viktor Orbán stated in a letter addressed to Charles Michel, president of the European Council, that Donald Trump has outlined well-founded plans for peace between Russia and Ukraine, potentially stirring tensions with Hungary's diplomatic actions.
The former prime minister met with Trump at his estate during last week's meeting and later conveyed in a letter to the European Council: "Trump is prepared to act as mediator immediately following his election." The content of this correspondence was revealed by Financial Times earlier.
Orbán suggested that if Trump were elected, it would lead to an imbalance in financial support for Ukraine between the US and EU nations due to a shift in aid costs. He conveyed concerns about military conflict escalation as discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during recent talks.
The European Commission responded by choosing not to attend meetings organized by Budapest for Hungary's EU presidency, a move unprecedented in its history. This decision came after several member states opted to send lower-level officials to these events instead of higher-ranking representatives from the commission or EU institutions such as the chief diplomat Josep Borrell.
Hungary assumed the rotating presidency of the EU council of ministers on July 1st, following which Orbán embarked on a "peace mission" to Kyiv, Moscow, Beijing, Azerbaijan, and the US while facing criticism from other European leaders.
Orbán's political advisor Balázs Orbán emphasized the need for Europe to develop an independent approach focused on ceasefire agreements and peace negotiations in response to Trump's presidency. The letter has raised concerns among EU partners, with Michel yet to comment directly on it.
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