EU Criticizes Hungarian PM Orban's 'Peace Mission'

The European Parliament strongly condemned Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban for his unauthorized meetings with President Putin in Moscow and President Xi Jinping in Beijing, which were part of Budapest's self-proclaimed Ukraine 'peace mission'. Orban's actions were deemed a violation of EU Treaties and common foreign policy, leading to calls for repercussions for Hungary. The EU, through various officials, emphasized that Hungary's presidency role does not grant Orban the authority to conduct EU diplomacy independently. Additionally, concerns were raised about Orban's engagements with global leaders like Trump, potentially impacting Ukraine's stance in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Orban defended his actions, claiming diplomatic advocacy, while the EU reaffirmed support for Ukraine and urged Hungary to remove obstacles to military aid refunding through the European Peace Facility.