Head of the European Council: Orban has no authority to speak on behalf of the EU with Putin
The position of the European Council is clear: Russia is an aggressor, and Ukraine is a victim of aggression, Charles Michel said
European Council President Charles Michel said that Hungary, which currently holds the presidency of the EU Council, has no authority to engage in dialogue with Russia on behalf of the European Union.
Earlier, several media outlets reported that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is set to visit Moscow on Friday, just a day after he visited Kyiv.
Michel's message on Twitter did not mention Orban's possible trip to Russia, but the head of the European Council posted his post shortly after the media reported the trip.
"The interim president of the EU does not have a mandate to hold a dialogue with Russia on behalf of the EU. The position of the European Council is clear: Russia is the aggressor and Ukraine is the victim of aggression. No discussions about Ukraine can take place without Ukraine," Michel wrote.
The information about Orban's visit to Moscow was published by Radio Free Europe and Hungarian journalist Szabolcs Pany, citing government sources. The information has not been confirmed by official sources.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also reacted to the possibility of such a visit: "The rumours about your visit to Moscow can't be true, can they, Mr Orban?" he tweeted.
Hungary took over the presidency of the EU Council on 1 July. Orban explained his recent visit to Kyiv by saying that during its presidency, Budapest should ensure that the problems facing the EU are addressed.
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