Premier of Hungary holding EU's rotating presidency arrives in Kiev

BERLIN. July 2 (Interfax) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has arrived in Kiev for negotiations with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, Western media reported on Tuesday with reference to Orban's spokesman Bertalan Havasi.

Orban and Zelensky are expected to mainly focus on prospects for settling the Ukraine conflict, they said. The two leaders should also discuss some aspects of Ukrainian-Hungarian relations.

This is the first time Orban has arrived in Kiev since the start of the Ukraine crisis, they said.

Hungary has taken over the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the EU since July 1. As Hungary's presidency was drawing nearer, it involved numerous sharply critical comments leveled at Budapest by some EU countries and European institutions for its special attitude toward the events in Ukraine, military support for Kiev, and sanctions on Russia. Some of the most radical European Parliament members even called for clearly illegitimate measures, such as depriving Hungary of the Council of the EU presidency.