European Council President on Orbán’s visit to Russia: He has no EU mandate
European Council President Charles Michel has issued a comment in response to media reports that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will visit Russia on Friday, 5 July.
Source: Charles Michel on Twitter (X), as reported by European Pravda
Details: Michel said that Hungary, which in July assumed the rotating presidency of the EU Council, has no mandate to engage with Russia on behalf of the EU.
"The European Council is clear: Russia is the aggressor, Ukraine is the victim. No discussions about Ukraine can take place without Ukraine," Michel wrote.
The EU rotating presidency has no mandate to engage with Russia on behalf of the EU.
— Charles Michel (@CharlesMichel) July 4, 2024
The European Council is clear: Russia is the aggressor, Ukraine is the victim. No discussions about Ukraine can take place without Ukraine.
Background:
- On 4 July, Szabolcs Panyi, a journalist covering Central and Eastern Europe, said, with reference to sources, that Orbán will visit Moscow just days after travelling to Kyiv for an official visit. Radio Liberty confirmed this information.
- On 1 July, Hungary assumed the presidency of the European Union Council, meaning that Orbán will meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin as the leader of the country presiding over the EU Council.
- As previously reported, Hungary's Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó had a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, while Orbán was meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Read also: Why Orbán came to Kyiv and what he agreed on with Zelenskyy
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