Surprise visit by Orbán in Kyiv reveals clear divisions.

During the meeting between Orbán and Zelenskij, Orbán expressed a desire to build relations between their countries and sign a cooperation agreement with Ukraine. However, the specifics of this agreement are still unclear. In the past, tensions arose over EU aid to Ukraine, with Orbán initially vetoing it before eventually allowing it to pass. He assured NATO that Hungary would not impede their assistance program, as long as Hungary did not have to participate in it.

Hungary’s stance on achieving peace in the Ukraine war differs from that of other NATO states, but Orbán acknowledged that they cannot change the significant differences in opinion. As part of the EU Council Presidency, Orbán emphasized the importance of peace in Ukraine for the security of Europe as a whole. Budapest remains skeptical of Ukraine’s EU accession negotiations, believing that membership alone will not end the war.

Orbán’s visit to Kyiv did not change Hungary’s positions significantly, but he offered support for modernizing Ukraine and recognized progress in solving issues facing the Hungarian minority in the country. The two politicians agreed to open the first school for Ukrainian-speaking children in Hungary. Overall, both Orbán and Zelenskij seemed satisfied with the results of the meeting, even if it did not lead to significant changes on a larger scale.