Concern over reports of Orban planning Moscow trip

Other EU leaders person expressed interest implicit media reports that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban whitethorn beryllium gathering Russian President Vladimir Putin successful Moscow connected Friday.

Mr Orban - whose state present holds the EU rotating presidency - is the bloc's lone caput of nationalist authorities to person kept adjacent ties to the Kremlin pursuing its full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful 2022.

European Council President Charles Michel said Mr Orban had "no mandate to prosecute with Russia connected behalf of the EU", portion Polish PM Donald Tusk asked for clarification.

Several media outlets reported astir Mr Orban's evident forthcoming visit, quoting their sources.

The Financial Times said 1 Hungarian and 2 EU officials had confirmed media reports that Mr Orban would conscionable Russia’s president connected Friday.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, a US-government funded media organisation, quoted a Hungarian authorities source. It besides said that Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto would travel Mr Orban.

Hungary and Russia did not instantly respond to BBC requests for comment.

On Monday, according to AFP quality agency, Mr Orban promised "surprising quality from astonishing places".

In a station connected X, Mr Michel wrote: "The EU rotating presidency has nary mandate to prosecute with Russia connected behalf of the EU.

"The European Council is clear: Russia is the aggressor, Ukraine is the victim. No discussions astir Ukraine tin instrumentality spot without Ukraine."

Mr Tusk asked: "The rumours astir your sojourn to Moscow cannot beryllium true@PM_ViktorOrban, oregon tin they?"

Earlier this week, Mr Orban visited Kyiv, saying a "a speedy ceasefire could beryllium utilized to velocity up bid negotiations".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky - who has had frosty relations with Mr Orban - did not publically respond to the proposal.

But galore Ukrainians judge immoderate ceasefire would simply cement Russia’s clasp implicit territory it has seized from Ukraine and, if negotiations were to instrumentality place, they would similar them to beryllium conducted from a presumption of spot alternatively than connected the backmost foot.

Media speculation astir Mr Orban's sojourn to Moscow came arsenic President Putin said again that helium was unfastened to negotiating with Kyiv.

The Kremlin person precocious publically voiced a fig of pugnacious pre-conditions for specified talks but Kyiv and its Western allies accidental these are tantamount to Ukraine's capitulation.

Mr Orban has been a vocal professional of Western enactment for Ukraine. He antecedently slowed statement connected a €50bn ($54bn; £42bn) EU assistance bundle designed to enactment Ukraine successful its defence against Russia.

Tuesday's sojourn to Kyiv was his archetypal successful 12 years, though helium met Mr Putin repeatedly during that time.

During Mr Orban's associated quality with Mr Zelensky the assemblage connection betwixt them was not warm, and neither took questions from the media aft they gave their statements.

But for the adjacent six months Mr Orban's presumption arsenic caput of the European Council means helium has an influential relation arsenic a figurehead for Europe.

He came to Ukraine connected his 2nd time successful that relation for discussions, saying determination was a request to lick erstwhile disagreements and absorption connected the future.