Hungarian Presidency in the Council of the EU starts with Viktor Orban visit to Kyiv

On 2 July, the day after Hungary assumed Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban made his first visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Viktor Orban explained on X (formerly Twitter) that his first trip led him to Kyiv “because the issue of peace is important not only for Ukraine, but for the whole of Europe.”

“This war that you are currently suffering is deeply affecting the security of Europe,” wrote Orban. “We appreciate the initiatives that President Zelensky has taken for peace. I shared my views with the President that these initiatives take a long time, are slow and complicated because of the rules of international diplomacy.”

He added that he assessed “the possibility of a deadline-bound ceasefire that could provide an opportunity to speed up peace negotiations”and that he will report his findings to the Council of the European Union “immediately”.

The presidency of the Council of the European Union rotates among the 27 EU member states every six months. The country holding the presidency guides the work of the Council and represents all member states in negotiations with other EU institutions. Between 1 July 2024 and 31 December 2024, Hungary will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the second time.

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Viktor orban post on X 

Press release