European Council president tells Orbán he has no EU mandate to hold talks on war in Ukraine

European Council President Charles Michel has sent a response to a letter that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán wrote after his self-proclaimed "peace tour" regarding Ukraine.

Source: European Pravda with reference to excerpts from Michel's letter published by Reuters

Details: Michel told Orbán that he had no EU mandate to conduct talks on the war in Ukraine.

"The rotating Presidency of the Council has no role in representing the Union on the international stage and received no European Council mandate to engage on behalf of the Union," the European Council president wrote in his letter to Orbán.

Michel also rejected Orbán's claim that the EU was pursuing a "pro-war" policy with respect to Ukraine.

"It is quite the opposite. Russia is the aggressor and Ukraine is the victim exercising its legitimate right to self-defence," the European Council president wrote.

Michel stressed that "no discussion about Ukraine can take place without Ukraine" and noted that the EU has "consistently sought to build broad international support for a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace".

"The Union has spared no effort to reach out to all partners in this regard, including China," Michel added.

Background: 

• In his letter, Orbán called for talks with China regarding a "peace conference" that would supposedly contribute to ending the war in Ukraine, the restoration of diplomatic relations with Russia, and the initiation of a "political offensive" towards the countries of the Global South.
• Balázs Orbán, the Hungarian prime minister's political director, has previously said that "[Viktor] Orbán's plan is now on the desk of every EU leader".

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