Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban did not have an official mandate from Brussels to announce peace initiatives such as a ceasefire. In the Office of the President of Ukraine, Orban's proposals for a ceasefire with Russia were perceived solely as an initiative of Budapest, not as a message on behalf of the entire EU. This was reported by UNN with reference to DW.
A European diplomat working in the EU mission to Ukraine on condition of anonymity said that Orban did not have an official mandate from Brussels to announce such peace initiatives, although EU leaders were undoubtedly aware of his intention to visit Kyiv.
Орбан попросив Зеленського подумати про припинення вогню й почати перемовини02.07.24, 15:12
"This visit was to some extent hybrid, because during the talks, Orban and Zelenskyy discussed mainly bilateral relations, which are currently going through a very difficult stage. But on the other hand, the reason for the visit was the beginning of Hungary's presidency in the EU," the source said.
He emphasized that the Office of the President of Ukraine perceived Orban's proposals for a ceasefire with Russia "solely as an initiative of Budapest, not as a message on behalf of the entire EU.
Christiane Hoffmann, Deputy Spokesperson for the German Government, reminded that EU foreign policy is determined by the European Council and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs,
That is why Berlin assumes that Orban made the ceasefire declaration as Hungarian prime minister.
"We are convinced that no country is more interested in a just and lasting peace than Ukraine itself. However, we also believe that a ceasefire without the withdrawal of Russian troops would be a coercion to peace," Hoffmann said.
According to the European treaties, the role of a country's presidency of the EU is to be "an honest intermediary between member states to promote European legislation, and we are currently in between legislative processes.
"Thus, the EU presidency gives Orban little power, but he seems to have been determined from day one to use the presidency as a political stage to promote his ideas," said Maria Ionela Ciolan, a researcher on European foreign policy at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies in Brussels.
Thus, Orban's proposal in Kyiv expresses only his own position, not that of the European Union, the expert believes.
"At the moment, the opinion of the EU leadership and the main political groups that have won the majority of seats in the European Parliament is that the EU will support Ukraine as long as it is needed, and that it is up to the Ukrainians themselves to decide when and how they want to start peace talks with the Kremlin," Cillian emphasized.
В ОП відреагували на пропозицію Орбана припинити вогонь02.07.24, 19:20
Orbán's "peace proposals" have caused a significant resonance, as they are largely in line with the Kremlin's interests. And Hungary is the only EU country that not only does not provide Ukraine with weapons, but also categorically opposes it, trying to block all European initiatives to provide military assistance to Kyiv.
"Although many European leaders have already paid visits to Kyiv in solidarity, Orban has never been there (since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion - ed.). Now he wants to use Hungary's EU presidency as a platform for peace proposals that are largely favorable to Russia," said the analyst at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Andreas Bock.