[1/3]Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the National Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 10, 2023. Portal/Matias Baglietto acquires license rights
BUENOS AIRES/BUDAPEST, Dec 10 (Portal) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had a “candid” conversation with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Sunday on the sidelines of the inauguration of Argentine President Javier Milei.
“It was as open as possible – and of course it was about our European affairs,” Zelensky said in his evening video address posted on the Telegram channel early Monday.
The meeting came against the backdrop of Orban's threat to block further European Union financial support for Kiev, his opposition to Ukraine joining the bloc and the White House's increased calls for Kiev aid after Republicans passed an emergency spending bill to finance the blocked by the war.
Orban's press chief Bertalan Havasi confirmed the meeting in an email that did not address whether the Hungarian leader would continue to oppose Ukraine's accession to the European Union.
“With regard to Ukraine’s EU accession, Viktor Orban has signaled that European Union member states are continuously discussing the issue,” Havasi said in the email.
A video on the Argentine Senate's YouTube channel showed Zelensky and Orban chatting for about 20 seconds while meeting with other guests in the Argentine parliament ahead of an EU summit on December 14 and 15 which is to decide whether to start accession talks with Ukraine.
Orban has repeatedly stated that he is against starting talks at this time. Any decision to proceed must be unanimous.
Orban has also threatened to block moves to give Kyiv 50 billion euros ($53.80 billion) in budget support through 2027, although a senior official said on Friday the EU would find ways to support Ukraine financially to support it, even if Hungary vetoed the move.
Zelenskiy previously said he had spoken to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen by phone to coordinate their positions.
“We expect a positive decision regarding the allocation of 50 billion euros and the start of negotiations on Ukraine's EU accession,” he said in a post on Telegram.
“Europe must resolutely defend its values and unity. I know we can count on Madam President’s support in this matter,” he added.
Zelensky was scheduled to arrive in Washington on Monday to speak with US President Joe Biden and US House Speaker Mike Johnson about Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine and the “vital importance” of continued US aid to Kiev.
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Reporting by Adam Jourdan in Buenos Aires, Krisztina Than in Budapest, Oleksandr Kozhukhar and Yuliia Dysa in Kiev and Elaine Monaghan in Washington; Writing by Lidia Kelly and Elaine Monaghan, editing by Nick Zieminski, Marguerita Choy and Licoln Feast
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