Hungary-Germany Row Over Trip to Russia (Worthy News Radio)

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Diplomatic tensions are rising between Germany and Hungary after Budapest canceled a meeting between Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó and his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, planned for Monday in the Hungarian capital. The unusual last-minute cancellation of the German minister’s visit to Budapest comes after Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz and other European Union leaders condemned Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s visit to Moscow, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday as part of a self-declared peace mission for the war in Ukraine.

German Foreign Minister Baerbock was due to raise the issue during her visit to Budapest on Monday.

But Germany’s foreign ministry said that, to its surprise, “the Hungarian side canceled” her appointment with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó “at short notice.”

The diplomatic row came after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was among numerous European Union leaders criticizing Orbán’s talks with Putin, saying he had no EU mandate to talk with the Russian leader.

However, Hungary took over the rotating EU presidency on July 1, and Orbán clarified that he wanted to listen to both sides to see the possibility of a ceasefire in Ukraine followed by peace talks.

After visiting Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Orban arrived at the Kremlin to meet Putin, who launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. “Mr. President, I must conclude that the number of countries that can talk to both warring sides is diminishing. Hungary is slowly becoming the only country in Europe that can speak to everyone,” Orbán said.

“I would like to use this situation to speak with you about important issues,” Orbán told President Putin. “And I would like to get to know your perspective on some important issues to Europe.”

PREPARED FOR CEASEFIRE?

Following the meeting, Putin stressed he was prepared for a ceasefire and peace talks if Ukraine accepted terms that included no membership of the NATO military alliance, giving up territories occupied by Russia, and moving its troops deeper inside Ukraine. “We have just concluded very intense negotiations with the prime minister of Hungary, Mr. Viktor Orban. It is important that we continue the dialogue even in the difficult geo-political situation,” Putin stressed.

“As for Russia, I have repeatedly said that we remain open to a political and diplomatic settlement,” he added.

Putin said there was, in his words, “reluctance” on Ukraine’s side to accept the realities on the ground and end the war.

Ukraine has made clear it wants Russian forces to withdraw from all its territory.

Yet Orbán seemed determined to help end a war that is feared to have claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.

Hungary has previously said it is willing to host peace talks between the two sides despite criticism from the EU and the NATO military alliance.

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