It is conceivable that the Ukrainian president traveled to Buenos Aires only to be able to speak personally with the Hungarian prime minister.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a brief meeting in Buenos Aires on the sidelines of the inauguration of the new Argentine president, according to a post published by Ukrainian media NV on X.
Based on the concise description, the leaders held a short meeting before the European Union summit, where Ukraine's EU accession negotiations may also be on the agenda.
The recording shows that Viktor Orbán and Volodymyr Zelensky are talking, but it is not clear what they are talking about.
President Zelenskyi, on the eve of the key summit of EU leaders, who threatens to break up Viktor Orban, spoke briefly with the Prime Minister of Hungary.
Це вечера на серемії інавгурації новообраного предстанция Аргентини pic.twitter.com/1UhIOObk7F
— NV (@tweetsNV) December 10, 2023
In this regard, Bertalan Havasi, the prime minister's press chief, told MTI's question that the Hungarian prime minister had informed the Ukrainian president about Ukraine's accession to the EU: the member states of the European Union are constantly discussing the issue.
According to Ukrainian news reports, the parties exchanged words briefly in the Argentine parliament. It was recalled that the Ukrainian president had previously spoken on the phone with French President Emmanuel Macron, who received the Hungarian prime minister on Friday.
Earlier, the head of the Ukrainian presidential office had a telephone conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó. During the meeting, Andriy Yermak proposed a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Péter Szijjártó responded that, of course, the Hungarian side is open to such a meeting, but it only makes sense if there is a chance that such a meeting will end with a positive result.
Since the outbreak of the war, it is a rather unusual event for the President of Ukraine to travel abroad, especially for the inauguration of a new head of state. It is possible that he undertook the long trip to Buenos Aires in order to have a personal conversation with Viktor Orbán.
The heads of state and government of the European Union will meet next week. The Hungarian Prime Minister made it clear several times before that since there is no agreement between the member states, it would be best if Ukraine's accession to the EU was not even on the agenda at the summit.
Cover photo: In the photo published by the Prime Minister's Press Office, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (j) at the inauguration ceremony of the new Argentine President Javier Milei in Buenos Aires on December 10, 2023.
Next to the prime minister is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi (j2). Source: MTI/Prime Minister's Press Office/Zoltán Fischer
