Trump is coming, Orbán tells Brussels, touting his new Ukraine strategy for the EU

This article was originally published in English

In this letter, Viktor Orbán proposes to initiate high-level political talks with China in order to:explore the modalities of a new peace conference on Ukraine, from reopen direct diplomatic communication with Russia and of launch a coordinated political offensive towards the South in order to regain his support.

In the July 12 letter, sent to European capitals, Orbán provided a “summary assessment of my recent discussions with the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, China, Turkey and President Donald J. Trump,” controversial trips which he undertook during the first two weeks of the Hungarian EU Presidency. These trips triggered reactions from the European Commission, which decided to boycott the events of the Hungarian presidency as a form of retaliation.

The Hungarian Prime Minister expressed his concerns about the current political climate in the United States and its implications for European foreign policy, particularly with regard to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

According to Orbán, “the military conflict will radically escalate in the near future,” and the only three global players that could influence developments are the EU, the US and China, with Turkey playing a key role as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia.

Viktor Orbán noted that President Trump, preoccupied with internal political issues, should prioritize domestic issues over foreign policy during his campaign. Therefore, Mr. Orbán does not foresee any immediate peace initiatives from the United States before the election.

“I can, however, say with certainty that shortly after his election victory, he will not wait for his inauguration, but will be ready to act immediately as a peace broker. He has detailed and well-founded plans for this,” Orbán said.

Mr Orbán suggests that Mr Trump’s “likely” re-election would change the financial dynamics between the US and EU over support for Ukraine, predicting that the EU would bear the greater burden in the future.

The Hungarian prime minister criticized the EU strategy, which he described as a mere replica of US policy, lacking sovereign and independent planning. “I propose to discuss whether the continuation of this policy is rational in the future,” the letter read. Orbán proposed that the EU take the current opportunity to reconsider its approach. He advocated efforts to reduce tensions, establish conditions for a ceasefire and, possibly, start peace negotiations.

“In the current situation, we can find a window of opportunity with a solid moral and rational basis to start a new chapter in our policy,” he wrote, stressing the need to reduce tensions, create conditions for a temporary ceasefire or start peace negotiations.

Additional sources • adaptation: Serge Duchêne