PM Orbán: Europe has to negotiate with Russia
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has once again urged Europe to open direct talks with Russia, arguing that the continent should seek a negotiated settlement to the ongoing war in Ukraine rather than relying on American-led diplomacy.
Is negotiating with the Russians even possible?
Speaking at the plenary session of the Hungarian Standing Conference (Máért) in Budapest on Thursday, Orbán called on European leaders to “negotiate with the Russians and try to reach an agreement.”
According to the Hungarian premier, the most pressing issue for both Europe and the Carpathian Basin today is the question of war and peace — a matter that, in his view, has become “sharper than at any point in the past three years.” Orbán warned that the risk of Europe becoming directly involved in the conflict is now “at its highest since the outbreak of the war.”
Orbán thinks Europe should try to talk with the Kremlin
Hungary, he said, has an alternative proposal: instead of further escalation, Europe should pursue dialogue. “Europe should negotiate with Russia independently,” he stated, “and not derive its position from a potential Russian-American agreement.”
Orbán also suggested that the focus of such discussions should go beyond Ukraine itself. While acknowledging that the fate of Ukraine is an important issue, he stressed that “it is not the only, nor the most important, question.” He argued for the establishment of a new European security framework that would address fundamental defence and arms control issues.
“The size of national armies and the rules governing their control must be clarified, and new treaties should be signed to regulate these matters,” Orbán said. He pointed out that, since the beginning of the war, many countries have withdrawn from previous arms control agreements, leaving the continent without an effective system of oversight.
The Hungarian government is playing their own game
Orbán’s remarks come amid ongoing tensions within the European Union, where Hungary has repeatedly called for a ceasefire and peace talks, often putting Budapest at odds with the majority of EU member states that continue to support Ukraine militarily and financially.
The prime minister’s call for renewed negotiations with Moscow is consistent with his long-standing position that peace can only be achieved through diplomacy — a stance that continues to generate both domestic and international debate.