After Moscow trip - Orban makes Putin's view of Ukraine public
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban shares in a letter to EU state and government heads his unannounced trip to Moscow and Putin's perspective on the war against Ukraine. In the letter obtained by the German Press Agency in Brussels, Orban states that Russia will only participate in peace talks where Ukraine is also present. Putin also has a plan for how European security architecture could look after the war, but Orban leaves the details undisclosed.
Moreover, Orban shares Russian viewpoints from Moscow's offensive war against Ukraine in the letter addressed to EU Council President Charles Michel and also sent to other EU heads of state and government. There's currently a chance for a ceasefire, but if preventing a worsening of the conflict in the coming two months fails, there will be dramatic losses that surpass anything seen before, according to the letter. Time is a crucial factor.
Beyond this, Orban shares Russian viewpoints without further context in the letter, which is dated from the previous week. The Russians believe that time is not on Ukraine's side but on that of Russian forces, Orban writes.
Criticism towards Viktor Orban
Orban's letter also disseminates unrealistically high Russian estimates of the number of Ukrainian casualties and injuries.
Orban's surprise visit to Moscow on Friday drew significant criticism from the EU. Hungary assumed the rotating EU Council presidency on July 1.
Putin lures and threatens Ukraine
Putin has consistently linked the conditions for ending the war with the warning that they should be accepted quickly before the situation worsens for Ukraine. In reality, life in Ukrainian cities has become more difficult due to constant Russian bombardments on the energy system. In the east and south, Russia is making progress only at high costs and very slowly.
The offensive in Kharkiv, which has been ongoing since May, has come to a standstill. Ukraine has dealt significant blows to Russian air defense and the fleet on the Crimean peninsula. And Ukraine is waiting for its weaponry to be improved with more Patriot missile defense systems and F-16 fighter jets.
- In the letter, Viktor Orban reveals that Russia only intends to participate in peace talks regarding the Ukraine conflict if Ukraine is also present.
- Putin, as mentioned in Orban's letter to EU Council President Charles Michel and other heads of state, has a vision for post-war European security architecture.
- Orban's surprise trip to Moscow and subsequent letter to EU leaders has been met with criticism from the EU, especially given Hungary's current assumption of the rotating EU Council presidency.
- According to Orban's letter, Putin has been consistently linking the end of the war with Ukraine to a swift acceptance of certain conditions, warning that the situation will worsen for Ukraine if this is not done quickly.
- Despite Putin's threats and lures, the offensive in Kharkiv, which started in May, has come to a standstill, and Ukraine has managed to inflict significant damage on Russian air defense and the fleet on the Crimean peninsula.
