Editorial | Push for talks to end Ukraine war helpful

The presidency of the European Union council is usually an uncontroversial, largely administrative office rotated among EU members every six months. In his first week in the post, Hungary’s right-wing prime minister, Viktor Orban, made flying visits to Kyiv, Moscow, Beijing and Washington on a self-appointed Ukraine “peace mission” under the banner of his country’s presidency of the bloc.

At each stop, Orban’s call for an immediate ceasefire in the Ukraine war has resonated with China’s peace plan and Moscow’s strategic aims. But like Hungary’s support for Russia and obstruction of EU aid for Ukraine, it has infuriated most other EU governments and European officials in Brussels. They say that since Russia was the aggressor, Ukraine should have a say in the terms.

The reality is that Europe’s response reflects deep security concerns over Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

The rotating presidency sets legislative agendas and chairs meetings of diplomats in Brussels, but has no policy or foreign affairs power. However, Orban’s initiative, in the absence of any movement towards an end to killing and inhuman suffering, has been welcomed in some quarters, including Russia and Beijing. During talks with Orban during his fleeting visit to Beijing, President Xi Jinping repeated calls for a ceasefire in Ukraine and direct dialogue between Moscow and Kyiv.

Hungary maintains close ties with both Russia and China, and supports Beijing’s peacemaking efforts, including a proposal with Brazil in May calling for conditions to be created for direct negotiations. China has called for a ceasefire and political negotiations from the start.

Some foreign media reports of Orban’s travels have tended to convey scepticism about his self-proclaimed “peacemaking” role, given that the EU president’s writ does not extend to EU international relations.