Hungarian President Orbán to meet Putin in Moscow, days after Kiev visit – POLITICO

Asked by POLITICO whether Orbán would meet with Putin, a spokesperson for the Hungarian presidency declined to comment.

Earlier in the day, Zoltán Kovács, Orbán’s international spokesman, cryptically told reporters that Orbán was “off the grid.” “We’re not going to tell you in advance what he’s doing,” he said in Budapest when asked if a trip to Moscow was planned.

Following initial reports on Thursday of a possible Orbán-Putin meeting in Moscow, European Council President Charles Michel wrote on X: “The rotating EU presidency has no mandate to engage with Russia on behalf of the EU.

“The European Council is clear: Russia is the aggressor, Ukraine is the victim. No discussion on Ukraine can take place without Ukraine.”

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk questioned this choice: “The rumors about your visit to Moscow cannot be true (Orbán), or can they be?” he wrote on X.

Valérie Hayer, president of the liberal Renew Europe group in the European Parliament, also denounced the visit.