Unexpected twist in Trump-Orbán phone call over Ukraine’s EU membership bid

Change language:
“I’d like to make it clear that no such phone conversation took place,” Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s foreign minister said today morning. “Not only did the topic not come up, but there was no phone call in the first place.”
Hungary ready to host Russia-Ukraine talks
Hungary is prepared to host the peace talks on the war in Ukraine if necessary, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, said on Thursday, arguing that Hungary was the only European country today capable of conducting dialogue based on mutual respect with the leaders of both the United States and Russia.
In an appearance on the Fight Hour podcast, Szijjártó was asked about a press report saying that Budapest was being considered as a venue for peace talks. He said, according to a ministry statement, that there was always some basis to such rumours that potentially made them credible, adding that there were several reasons why Budapest as a possible venue was believable.

Offer made 3 days after the Russian invasion
Szijjártó noted that three days after the start of the war he spoke with his Russian counterpart as well as the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, and offered Hungary as a venue for peace talks. He said there were few western European countries that had “maintained their ability over the last three years to conduct fair dialogue based on mutual respect with the leaders of both the United States and Russia”.
Only Orbán can help
“Right now I don’t know any European politician besides Viktor Orbán who can talk to both Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin the same way,” Szijjarto said. “That cooperation based on mutual respect that we have with both the United States and Russia is unique to Hungary in Europe today. I believe this is a huge achievement, because we achieved it in the face of tremendous pressure, since we’ve been saying for three and a half years that diplomatic channels must be kept open in order to end the war.”

“If we’re needed, we’re available. We’re here whenever we’re needed, and we can guarantee the appropriate, fair and safe conditions these peace talks require,” the minister said. “We’d be happy to contribute to the success of the peace efforts.”
Bloomberg spreading fake news concerning Trump call
Meanwhile, Szijjártó dismissed as “fake news” an article from Bloomberg saying US President Donald Trump called Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Monday in connection with Ukraine’s potential European Union accession.
“I’d like to make it clear that no such phone conversation took place,” Szijjártó said. “Not only did the topic not come up, but there was no phone call in the first place… So Bloomberg and all the supposedly extremely well sourced, always balanced and fantastically objective news agencies and media are treating as fact … a phone call that never took place.”






