Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has proudly stated that Budapest is the only city in Europe capable of hosting a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a report by The Associated Press (AP).
The announcement came after Trump revealed plans for his second meeting this year with Putin, just a day before his scheduled White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Although the exact date of the meeting in Hungary has not been confirmed, Trump indicated that it will take place in Budapest within the next two weeks.
Orbán, a close ally of Trump and regarded as Putin’s closest partner within the European Union, suggested during an interview with Hungary’s state broadcaster that his stance against military and financial aid to Ukraine influenced the decision to hold the meeting in Budapest.
“For three consecutive years, we have been the only country to openly, loudly, and actively call for peace,” said Orbán.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Hungary has refused to send weapons to Ukraine or allow their transit through its territory. Orbán has also threatened to veto EU sanctions against Russia and blocked large-scale financial aid packages to Kyiv.
Meanwhile, Hungary has increased its imports of Russian energy, helping to finance Moscow’s war effort, contrary to the actions of most other EU member states that have sought to reduce their dependency on Russian fuel.
