After visiting Kyiv and Moscow this month, Hungarian PM Viktor Orban sent a confidential letter to European Council President Charles Michel and EU leaders.
The letter, dated July 5, and sent from Azerbaijan, was obtained by the investigative project "System" and confirmed by two additional EU officials.
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In the letter, Orban recognized that he was not speaking for the entire EU during his visits, which drew criticism from European allies for the Moscow leg of it.
Orban claimed his aim was to "understand" the Ukrainian and Russian positions. He said that, in Russian leader Vladimir Putin's view, Russia is confident that "time favors Russian forces over Ukraine."
Orban said that Putin did not tell him Russian losses but estimated Ukrainian losses at 40,000-50,000 per month. Putin's inflated numbers contrast sharply with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's February statement of 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed and US reports of 70,000 dead and 120,000 wounded -- in 2023.
Despite Zelensky having many times publicly stated that a so-called "ceasefire" would only benefit Russia as, historically, Ukraine abides by ceasefires and Russia breaks them when strategically or tactically expedient, Orban said that Putin was "surprised" by Zelensky's rejection of a temporary ceasefire, which Zelensky feared Russia would use to regroup its invading forces.
Orban quoted Putin as saying he was "open to ceasefire proposals" that wouldn't allow Ukrainian forces to redeploy to defend Ukraine again.
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Orban also touched upon the Istanbul Agreements 2022, which "Putin still considers relevant." These agreements proposed international security guarantees for Ukraine.
The fifth paragraph of those agreements stated that if neutral Ukraine is attacked, guarantor states will provide security assistance. However, Russia insisted on having a veto over this military aid, which Ukraine rejected.
Additionally, Orban mentioned the "Sino-Brazilian peace plan" being considered by Russia. Putin did not comment on Zelensky's peace plan or the June Peace Summit in Switzerland.
During his trip, Orban met Zelensky on July 2 in Kyiv, suggesting a ceasefire and negotiations with Russia. He then met Putin on July 5 in Moscow, discussing Russia’s demands for Ukrainian troop "withdrawals" from its own territories and non-membership in the NATO defensive pact.
Calling his efforts a "peace mission," Orban also visited Beijing on July 8 to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping, highlighting China's potential role in achieving peace.
Meanwhile, Russia continues to shoot missiles at Ukrainian military and civilian infrastructure. More than 40 people were killed on Monday in attacks that included a children's hospital in Kyiv, which Russia hit with an X-101 missile.
Despite Russia's unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Hungary remains a steadfast Kremlin ally.
As of 2024, Budapest relied on Russia for 75 percent of its natural gas, 80 percent of its oil, and 100 percent of its nuclear fuel.
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