Ukrainian president condemns Hungarian prime minister’s unilateral ‘peace mission’ to Moscow
Volodymyr Zelenskiy has taken aim at the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, accusing him of betraying fellow European leaders after Orbán’s recent “peace mission” to Moscow.
The Ukrainian president kicked off the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace on Thursday with an emotional speech in which he made veiled but repeated references to Orbán’s recent attempts to get close to Moscow.
Zelenskiy was addressing a room packed full of European leaders and defence ministers, who have gathered in Oxfordshire at a pivotal moment for the war in Ukraine.
He told the session: “We have maintained unity in Europe by acting together, which means that Putin has missed his primary targets … This is our advantage, but it remains an advantage only as long as we are united.”
Referring to Putin, he said: “He may try to approach you, or go to some of your partners individually, trying to tempt or pressure you to blackmail you so that one of you betrays the rest. We keep our unity.”
In an apparent reference to Orbán’s recent visit to meet Putin in Moscow, he added: “If someone in Europe tries to resolve issues behind our backs, or even at the expense of someone else, if someone wants to make some trips to the capital of war to talk – and perhaps promise something against our common interests or at the expense of Ukraine or other countries – then why should we consider such a person?
“The EU can also address all their issues without this one individual.”
Orbán has regularly been a thorn in the side of European leaders attempting to maintain unity in their support for Ukraine. Earlier this year he blocked a €50bn (£42bn) support package for Kyiv for more than a month while he negotiated additional conditions.
This month, the Hungarian leader travelled to Moscow for what he called a “peace mission”, holding a joint press conference with Putin in which the Russian leader told Kyiv to give up more land, pull back its troops and drop its efforts to join Nato.
Orbán then held talks with the former US president Donald Trump, after which he wrote to European leaders telling them Trump had “well-founded plans” for peace should he return to the White House after November’s presidential election. Trump has since underlined his desire to back out of foreign conflicts by choosing the isolationist JD Vance as his running mate.
Orbán’s actions on the world stage have caused alarm in European capitals, with Zelenskiy’s invitation to Blenheim Palace designed in part as a show of unified support for Ukraine.
Hours before the Ukrainian president spoke, Ursula von der Leyen issued a similar message in a speech to MEPs. The president of the European Commission said: “Two weeks ago, a European prime minister went to Moscow. This peace mission was nothing but an appeasement mission.”
Keir Starmer, the British prime minister, made a strong statement of support as he introduced Zelenskiy on Thursday. “Every day Ukraine fights to protect not just the Ukrainian people, but the European people – a continent where our belief in freedom, democracy and the rule of law was hard won, that wants to live in peace,” he said.
“President Zelenskiy, in your struggle to uphold those values, we salute you. Once again, have no doubt, we will stand with you for as long as it takes.”
Zelenskiy also used his speech to European leaders to urge them to provide air defences for Ukraine and not to place limits on their use. The UK has provided Ukraine with Storm Shadow missiles, but is not allowing Zelenskiy to use them against Russian territory.
“We should not fear these capabilities,” the Ukrainian president said. “The more effective our air defences, the more helpless Putin will be. The fewer restrictions we have on the use of effective weapons, the more Russia will seek peace.”
As part of his official visit to France, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the heads of leading French companies in the energy, engineering and electrical equipment, telecommunications, construction, and financial and banking sectors, the President’s website reported on Friday.
“Even in the difficult conditions of war, the Ukrainian economy is finding ways to develop and grow, adapting to new circumstances. Ukraine is a profitable market for French investment, and new projects can be launched right now,” the head of state emphasized.
Zelenskyy also reaffirmed Ukraine’s commitment to working with the French government to create favorable conditions for investors, in particular through a system of state guarantees, lending and investment insurance mechanisms.
Speaking about the war in the Middle East, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that official Kyiv supports the two-state policy.
“Regarding the war in the Middle East: we support the two-state policy,” Zelensky said at a press conference with the Spanish Prime Minister in Madrid.
The President of Ukraine also expressed his belief that the world today has enough power to stop “this bloodshed in the Middle East.”
In a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured that India will continue to provide humanitarian aid to Kyiv and support efforts to restore peace in Ukraine.
“Had a good conversation with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy on strengthening the India-Ukraine partnership. He expressed India’s consistent support for all efforts to establish peace and bring an early end to the ongoing conflict. India will continue to provide humanitarian assistance, guided by our people-centered approach,” Modi wrote on the social networking site X.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine and its partners do not consider the possibility of Russian representatives attending the inaugural Peace Summit to be held in Switzerland.
“Today we talked a lot about our Formula for Peace. I am grateful for the support of Mr. President. I informed Mr. President about the preparation of the global Peace Summit at the level of leaders, which is being organized in Switzerland – the inaugural Peace Summit,” he said during a press conference with the Turkish President in Istanbul.
According to Zelenskyy, “it is obvious that Turkey’s special role deserves to be demonstrated at the Peace Summit and in the joint work of the world majority to fully implement the Peace Formula.”
“As for the format of the inaugural Summit itself, we do not see any representatives of Russia at this Summit. We do not see how people who block, destroy and kill everything can be invited. We want to get a result. The result of a just peace, and a just peace for Ukraine,” the President of Ukraine said.
Therefore, Zelenskyy noted, “first, the civilized countries of the world will develop a detailed plan and have a result (based on the results of the first Peace Summit – IF-U).”
“And only then will they involve representatives of Russia – those who will be ready for a just peace,” he concluded.
Earlier, during a press conference with Zelenskyy, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey was ready to host a peace summit, but with the participation of Russia.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has approved the candidacy of Valeriy Zaluzhnyi for the post of Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reports.
“On Thursday, March 7, 2024, the President of Ukraine approved the candidacy of Valeriy Zaluzhny for the post of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,” the Foreign Ministry said on its official website.
Reportedly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has sent the British side a request for the appointment.
As reported, on February 8, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed decrees dismissing Valeriy Zaluzhnyy from the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and appointing Oleksandr Syrskyy to this position.
