European Council President Charles Michel has dismissed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s proposals to resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, according to a Reuters report. The dismissal followed Orban’s visit to Kiev, Moscow, and Beijing as part of what he referred to as a “peace mission.
In a letter addressed to Orban, Michel reportedly stated that he has no European Union mandate to negotiate on the ongoing conflict. He emphasized that Hungary’s rotating Council Presidency is not authorized to represent the EU on an international level or engage on behalf of the union without a specific mandate from the European Council.
Orban had sent a letter to other EU leaders outlining his discussions with Ukrainian, Russian, and Chinese leaderships and presenting proposals for conflict resolution. He suggested reopening direct lines of communication with Russia while maintaining high-level contact with Kiev and engaging in talks with China as a potential mediator.
However, Michel rejected Orban’s proposal, stating that any discussion about Ukraine must involve Ukraine itself, and that the EU has consistently endeavored to garner broad international support for a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace.
Orban had also criticized the European Union for allegedly following Washington’s lead in the conflict, asserting that there was no independent action plan from Brussels. He argued that President Joe Biden is unable to change Washington’s approach to Ukraine, while his election rival, Donald Trump, has a detailed plan and could potentially act as a “peace broker.
Both the EU and the United States have been providing substantial military aid to Ukraine since the outbreak of hostilities with Russia in 2022. Hungary is one of the few European Union members to criticize this approach and has refused to send weapons to Kiev, as well as repeatedly blocked sanctions against Russia and aid to Ukraine. Orban has consistently maintained that the conflict must be resolved through negotiations.
During his visit to Kiev, the Hungarian leader called on Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky to agree to a ceasefire with Russia – an offer that was ultimately rejected by the Ukrainian president. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly insisted that the hostilities will only end if Ukraine fulfills several of Moscow’s demands, including legally binding guarantees that Kiev will not seek NATO membership.