Orban Hosts Trump-Putin Talks in Budapest Amid Tensions

Budapest, Oct 17 (AP) Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban lauded his nation's role as the host for upcoming talks between US President Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin. These discussions are anticipated to focus on resolving the war in Ukraine. Trump announced on Thursday his plans for a second meeting this year with Putin, just ahead of his scheduled talks with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House. While an exact date hasn't been set, Trump mentioned the meeting would take place in Budapest, Hungary's capital, possibly within two weeks.

Hungary's Stance on Ukraine Speaking to state radio, Orban, an ally of Trump and regarded as Putin's closest friend in the EU, attributed Budapest's selection as a meeting venue to Hungary's stance opposing Western military and financial aid for Ukraine against Russia. “Budapest is essentially the only place in Europe today where such a meeting could be held, primarily because Hungary is almost the only pro-peace country,” Orban remarked. He portrayed his policy as pro-peace, contrasting it with other European nations’ support for Ukraine, although critics argue Hungary's position favors the aggressor and disrupts European unity.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Hungary, a NATO member, has refrained from supplying Ukraine with weapons or permitting their transit through its territory. Orban has also threatened to veto certain EU sanctions against Russia and delayed adoption of major EU funding packages for Ukraine. Moreover, Hungary has resisted reducing its dependency on Russian fossil fuels and has, unlike most EU countries, increased its energy supplies since the 2022 invasion.

Logistical and Legal Challenges for the Meeting The planned Budapest meeting follows Trump's unsuccessful attempt to broker peace with Putin in August in Alaska. Organizing such a meeting involves logistical challenges, including Putin's need to traverse the airspace of several NATO nations. Although Putin’s assets are frozen by the EU, he isn't subject to a travel ban in Europe. While EU countries prohibit Russian planes, they can authorize specific flights.

As a signatory to the International Criminal Court (ICC), which in 2023 issued an arrest warrant for Putin for war crimes, Hungary technically must arrest Putin if he enters its territory. Nonetheless, Orban had previously stated his intention for Hungary to withdraw from the ICC, following a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also faced ICC charges.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó declared that Hungary would “welcome” Putin without needing external consent, asserting, “We are a sovereign country.”

Budapest’s Symbolic Role The choice of Budapest as the host city for the meeting also carries symbolic weight. It was the site of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, where the US, UK, and Russia assured Ukraine's sovereignty as Kyiv gave up nuclear arms. For many Ukrainians, the memorandum symbolizes broken promises, following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the 2022 invasion.

Orban disclosed that he spoke with Trump on Thursday evening and planned to speak with Putin on Friday morning. With an upcoming challenging election, Orban noted the diplomatic significance of hosting the meeting as a political success for Hungary. “God knows when was the last time there was such an important diplomatic event in Hungary, where we are not simply hosts, but it is also considered a political achievement,” he added.

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