EU's Time Window Closing on Ukraine Issue, Says Orban
The Hungarian Prime Minister asserts that a victory for Trump in the US presidential election would render the EU's position on the Ukraine conflict insignificant. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The Hungarian prime minister has issued a warning that if Donald Trump emerges victorious in the upcoming US presidential election, Brussels will lose its influence in addressing the Ukraine conflict. Viktor Orban stated that should Trump, the Republican nominee, win on November 5, he would take steps to manage the crisis even before his official inauguration.
Trump has frequently claimed that, if elected, he could broker a diplomatic solution between Kiev and Moscow “within 24 hours.” His running mate, J.D. Vance, indicated that Trump may opt to freeze the conflict along its existing frontline and provide assurances to Russia that Ukraine would not be admitted to NATO.
At a press conference in Strasbourg on Tuesday, Orban articulated that if Trump defeats his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris, “he will not wait until the inauguration ceremony … in order to manage a peace” in Ukraine. He emphasized, “Trump will act immediately, so we as European leaders don’t have any time to waste, because there would not be two or three months, as we usually have between the election and the inauguration of the new president.”
Orban urged European leaders to “react first intellectually, philosophically, then strategically, and then at the level of action as soon as possible.” He also expressed enthusiasm over the forthcoming informal summit of EU leaders in Budapest on November 7, viewing it as an opportune moment to explore potential solutions to the Ukraine crisis.
Highlighting differing foreign policy approaches, Orban acknowledged that he supports the GOP candidate and noted Hungary's distinct stance among EU nations, as the country has consistently called for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict while being opposed to sending weapons to Ukraine.
The Hungarian prime minister pointed out last month that an increasing number of EU countries appeared inclined to abandon their “pro-war” positions and expressed a desire to join the “peace camp.” He proclaimed, “it was Hungary that started this idea, because we stirred up a huge debate in Europe.” He underscored the significance of the peace mission, stating, “Without the peace mission, such a debate would not have started and everyone would still only talk war.”
Following Hungary’s acquisition of the rotating EU presidency in June, Orban embarked on his “peace mission,” which included visits to Kiev, Moscow, Beijing, and Washington. This initiative was met with disapproval from EU officials in Brussels. Orban stressed, “this war clearly has no solution on the battlefield... An agreement must be sought.”
In early September, he suggested that Ukraine and Russia should first establish a ceasefire before drafting a comprehensive peace plan. Following a meeting with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky at the end of last month, Trump reaffirmed his position, saying he had not “changed from the standpoint that we both want to see this end and we both want to see a fair deal made.” He reiterated his commitment to “get [the Ukraine conflict] resolved very quickly.”
The last attempt at peace talks between Russia and Ukraine stalled in the spring of 2022, despite a proposed treaty being preliminarily accepted by both parties. Russian President Vladimir Putin, along with Ukrainian and US officials, has claimed that the West compelled Kiev to withdraw from negotiations. Putin asserted that Ukraine had initially consented to become a neutral state and limit its military size.
Moscow has repeatedly signaled its willingness to resolve the conflict through diplomacy, though it insists that Kiev must acknowledge the “territorial reality” of Russian control over the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions and Crimea.
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
Trump has frequently claimed that, if elected, he could broker a diplomatic solution between Kiev and Moscow “within 24 hours.” His running mate, J.D. Vance, indicated that Trump may opt to freeze the conflict along its existing frontline and provide assurances to Russia that Ukraine would not be admitted to NATO.
At a press conference in Strasbourg on Tuesday, Orban articulated that if Trump defeats his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris, “he will not wait until the inauguration ceremony … in order to manage a peace” in Ukraine. He emphasized, “Trump will act immediately, so we as European leaders don’t have any time to waste, because there would not be two or three months, as we usually have between the election and the inauguration of the new president.”
Orban urged European leaders to “react first intellectually, philosophically, then strategically, and then at the level of action as soon as possible.” He also expressed enthusiasm over the forthcoming informal summit of EU leaders in Budapest on November 7, viewing it as an opportune moment to explore potential solutions to the Ukraine crisis.
Highlighting differing foreign policy approaches, Orban acknowledged that he supports the GOP candidate and noted Hungary's distinct stance among EU nations, as the country has consistently called for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict while being opposed to sending weapons to Ukraine.
The Hungarian prime minister pointed out last month that an increasing number of EU countries appeared inclined to abandon their “pro-war” positions and expressed a desire to join the “peace camp.” He proclaimed, “it was Hungary that started this idea, because we stirred up a huge debate in Europe.” He underscored the significance of the peace mission, stating, “Without the peace mission, such a debate would not have started and everyone would still only talk war.”
Following Hungary’s acquisition of the rotating EU presidency in June, Orban embarked on his “peace mission,” which included visits to Kiev, Moscow, Beijing, and Washington. This initiative was met with disapproval from EU officials in Brussels. Orban stressed, “this war clearly has no solution on the battlefield... An agreement must be sought.”
In early September, he suggested that Ukraine and Russia should first establish a ceasefire before drafting a comprehensive peace plan. Following a meeting with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky at the end of last month, Trump reaffirmed his position, saying he had not “changed from the standpoint that we both want to see this end and we both want to see a fair deal made.” He reiterated his commitment to “get [the Ukraine conflict] resolved very quickly.”
The last attempt at peace talks between Russia and Ukraine stalled in the spring of 2022, despite a proposed treaty being preliminarily accepted by both parties. Russian President Vladimir Putin, along with Ukrainian and US officials, has claimed that the West compelled Kiev to withdraw from negotiations. Putin asserted that Ukraine had initially consented to become a neutral state and limit its military size.
Moscow has repeatedly signaled its willingness to resolve the conflict through diplomacy, though it insists that Kiev must acknowledge the “territorial reality” of Russian control over the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions and Crimea.
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
