4 Jul 2024 21:31

Hungary as Council of EU president has no right to contacts with Moscow on EU behalf - European Council head

BRUSSELS. July 4 (Interfax) - Hungary, which is holding the rotating presidency in the the Council of the European Union, does not have the mandate to hold a dialogue with Russia on the EU's behalf, outgoing President of the European Council Charles Michel said on Thursday.

"The EU rotating presidency has no mandate to engage with Russia on behalf of the EU," Michel said on X.

Michel's post came against the backdrop of media reports on possible Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's visit to Russia. Earlier on Thursday, the Euractiv website reported citing its sources that Orban could go to Moscow for negotiations after visiting Kiev.

"A few days after Orban travelled to Kiev to meet Ukraine's President Vladimir Zelensky, he may make another trip to meet [Russian President Vladimir] Putin in Moscow," Euractiv reported.

Hungarian officials have not confirmed this information.

Earlier this week, Orban asked Zelensky to consider a possibility of declaring ceasefire to begin talks on conflict resolution with Russia.

Orban arrived for talks with Zelensky in Kiev on July 2. This was Orban's first visit to Kiev since the beginning of the Ukrainian crisis.

Hungary took over as president of the Council of the EU on July 1.