Hungary is the rotating president of the European Union for this half-year, mainly handling organizing and ceremonial roles and functions. Within the EU, the Hungarian prime minister has long been considered a dissenter and disruptor. He is one of the few European leaders seen as an advocate for Russian President Putin, against whom the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague is conducting an investigation.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that a reconciliation policy towards Putin will not work and called for unity and determination to achieve a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine.
The European Commission is now considering possibly postponing or revising visits of EU leaders to Hungary as a result of Orbán’s unilateral actions. For example, EU summits might not be held in Budapest for a while.
Orbán defended his visit by stating that dialogue with Russia is necessary despite the ongoing war in Ukraine. However, this position clashes with the broader EU strategy, which aims to isolate Russia through sanctions and support for Ukraine.
Josep Borrell, the EU foreign affairs chief, criticized Orbán’s visit and stressed that the Hungarian prime minister did not speak on behalf of the EU. Borrell emphasized that such unilateral steps can undermine the EU's unity and weaken the joint efforts to resist Russian aggression.
Orbán’s meeting with Putin included talks on energy security and economic cooperation, topics that Orbán said are crucial for Hungary. However, these close ties with Russia are seen as problematic by other EU members, who want to emphasize solidarity with Ukraine and strict adherence to sanctions against Russia.