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Viktor Orban arrived successful Ukraine connected Tuesday for an unannounced sojourn having conscionable taken implicit arsenic rotating president of the European Union.
While successful Kyiv, the Hungarian premier curate said a ceasefire betwixt Russia and Ukraine could velocity up negotiations to extremity the warfare that has followed Russia's full-scale penetration successful 2022.
Mr Orban has been a professional of Western enactment for Ukraine and is seen arsenic the European person closest to Russian President Vladimir Putin. This was his archetypal sojourn to Ukraine successful 12 years, though helium has met Mr Putin repeatedly during that time.
During his associated quality with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the assemblage connection betwixt them was not lukewarm and neither took questions from the media aft they gave their statements.
Mr Orban has antecedently slowed statement connected a €50bn ($54bn; £42bn) EU assistance bundle designed to enactment Ukraine successful its defence against Russia.
But for the adjacent six months his 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.
In his connection pursuing their meeting, Mr Zelensky said it was “very important to person Europe’s enactment for Ukraine maintained astatine capable level… it’s important for practice betwixt each the neighbours successful Europe to go much meaningful and mutually beneficial".
In his ain statement, Mr Orban stressed the request to enactment unneurotic but besides said helium had raised the thought of a ceasefire to hasten negotiations with Russia.
"I explored this anticipation with the president and I americium grateful for his honorable answers and negotiation,” helium said.
President Zelensky did not respond to those comments.
However, galore Ukrainians judge specified a ceasefire would simply cement Russia’s clasp implicit territory it has taken 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.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said his state was unfastened to "work with everyone and lick problems".
"This enactment is hard and time-consuming, but it yet yields tangible results,” helium told the BBC.
“During the visit, President Zelensky had a candid but constructive treatment with Prime Minister Orban astir ways to execute a conscionable peace, not simply a ceasefire oregon bid talks.”
The 2 leaders besides discussed bilateral issues including the 100,000 taste Hungarians who reside successful Ukraine.
The EU opened rank talks for Ukraine the week earlier Hungary assumed the EU Council Presidency.
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