Orban urges EU for direct peace talks amidst internal EU rift
After the dispute in the White House, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban appealed to the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, for Europe to initiate peace negotiations with Russia, following the example of the United States. He also announced a blockade of the EU summit conclusions on Ukraine.
The European Council summit focused on Europe's security and the war in Ukraine is scheduled for March 6.
In a letter to the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban asserted that the draft conclusions indicate strategic differences in our approach to Ukraine that a draft or discussions cannot resolve.
Orban expressed his belief that the European Union should follow the United States' lead and initiate direct negotiations with Russia to achieve a ceasefire and peace in Ukraine. However, he noted that this perspective was not included in the summit's conclusions.
Orban suggested that the European Council's extraordinary meeting should avoid adopting written conclusions on Ukraine. Instead, he proposed restricting them to reaffirming and supporting UN Security Council Resolution No. 2774 (2025), adopted on February 24, 2025. He emphasised that this resolution marks a new phase in the conflict, making all previous European Council agreements obsolete.
The Hungarian prime minister contends that adopting a written conclusion on Ukraine would give the impression of a divided European Union.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico also criticized the summit's conclusions, stating that they should include a call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine.
The White House dispute
Orban and Fico are two politicians who have been highly critical of supporting the defending country since the very beginning of the conflict in Ukraine. At the same time, they avoid accusing Russia of initiating the invasion.
Orban's letter and Fico's post surfaced a day after Donald Trump's talks with Volodymyr Zelensky. The leaders of both countries were expected to sign a deal on Ukrainian minerals. However, the meeting ended in a dispute. Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance repeatedly demanded that Zelensky express gratitude for their assistance. They also criticized his negotiation methods, accusing him of having no leverage. The President of Ukraine, in turn, accused them of not understanding his country's stance. Ultimately, the deal was not signed, and Zelensky, along with the Ukrainian delegation, was asked to leave the White House.
