Reuters reported that on March 1, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban called on the European Union (EU) to start a direct dialogue with Russia on a ceasefire in Ukraine and abandon plans to make a joint statement at the EU's extraordinary summit next week.
In a letter to European Council President Antonio Costa, the Hungarian Prime Minister affirmed that the EU currently has many different views on the approach to the issue of Ukraine, making it difficult for member states to find a common voice, or in his words "unresolvable".
According to Mr. Orban, the EU should learn from the US in seeking a ceasefire and sustainable peace in Ukraine by conducting direct discussions with Russia.
However, he noted that this approach cannot be harmonious with the draft conclusion for the EU summit on March 7, which focuses on additional support for Ukraine, ensuring European security and finding ways to finance national defense needs.
The Hungarian Prime Minister suggested that it should not try to make a written conclusion on Ukraine at the upcoming EU summit, arguing that all decisions at the summit must reach consensus, while some countries, including Hungary, have different views.
Also on March 1, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico said that the EU's " peace through strength" strategy was unrealistic, and stressed that an immediate ceasefire should be included in the summit's conclusions.
In his Facebook post, Mr. Fico also admitted that there are currently other views within the EU than continuing the war and affirmed that the European Council will not reach a consensus on Ukraine at the upcoming conference.
The Slovakian Prime Minister also wants the EU to ask Ukraine to reopen the Russian gas transit route that Kiev has blocked since the beginning of 2025.
According to the latest draft declaration prepared for the summit, member states are expected to affirm that all negotiations on Ukraine must have the participation of Kiev, while emphasizing that any peace agreement for Kiev must come with strong and reliable security commitments to ensure safety in the future.
