BEIJING (AP) — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban will make a surprise visit to China on Monday after visiting Russia and Ukraine to discuss prospects for a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine crisis.
“Peace Mission 3.0” was the caption Orban posted on social media platform X early Monday morning to a photo of himself disembarking from a plane in Beijing, where he was greeted by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Hua Chunying and other government officials.
Orban then met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
Orban posted a photo on Facebook of himself shaking hands with Xi and wrote that “the end of the war depends on the decision of three major powers – the United States, the European Union and China” in addition to Russia and Ukraine.
Prime Minister Orban met with President Xi Jinping just two months ago. Xi hosted the Chinese leader in Hungary as part of a three-nation European tour that also included France and Serbia, which unlike the other two countries is not a member of the European Union or NATO.
Hungary under Orban’s administration has built strong political and economic ties with China. Hungary has hosted a number of Chinese electric vehicle battery factories, and in December, Chinese EV manufacturer BYD announced it would open a battery factory in China. Europe’s first EV production plant It is in the southern part of the country.
The previously unannounced visit follows similar trips to Moscow and Kiev last week, in which he suggested Ukraine consider agreeing an immediate ceasefire with Russia.
His visit to Moscow drew condemnation from Kiev and European leaders.
“The number of countries that can talk to both sides in a war is decreasing,” Orban said. “Hungary is slowly becoming the only country in Europe that can talk to everyone.”
Hungary took over the EU’s rotating presidency in early July, and Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested that Orban was visiting Moscow as the top representative of the European Council. Several top European leaders denied the suggestion, saying Orban had no mandate beyond discussing bilateral relations.
The Hungarian prime minister is widely considered to have the country’s friendliest relationship. Putin meets EU leadersperiodically Block, delay, or reduce The EU is backing Kiev in efforts to impose sanctions on Moscow for its actions in Ukraine. He has long called for a cessation of hostilities in Ukraine but has not said what that would mean for the country’s territorial integrity or future security.
This stance has irritated Hungary’s EU and NATO allies, who have condemned Russia’s actions as a violation of international law and a threat to the security of eastern European countries.
