< p>Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán justified his unannounced trip to Russia with the economic impact of the war in Ukraine on the European Union, DPA reported, referring to a letter received in the editorial office, BTA writes.
"The negative economic consequences of the war are a heavy burden on the daily lives of our citizens and on the competitiveness of the EU," Orbán said in his letter dated July 5, addressed to European Council President Charles Michel and EU leaders.
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The Hungarian prime minister visited Moscow and met with Russian President Vladimir Putin immediately after his first visit to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion.
The EU sees Hungary as close to Russia, and Orbán's brief explanation is based on Putin's view of the war in Ukraine and shares Russia's unrealistically high estimates of Ukrainian casualties, DPA notes.
Putin believes time is on Russia's side in the conflict, writes the Hungarian prime minister, and reports the Russian president's surprise that Ukraine has not accepted recent proposals for a ceasefire and peace talks.
Orban reiterates Putin's expectations for the rapid disintegration of Ukraine in the coming months. This is despite the halted major Russian offensive at Kharkiv and the larger Ukrainian victories in Crimea.
The Russian president has consistently linked the terms he has set for an end to the war with the idea that they had better be accepted before the situation in Ukraine worsens further.
In his letter, the Hungarian prime minister tells his fellow EU leaders that, based on his talks with Putin, “there is now a better chance” for a ceasefire and a path to peace negotiations.
He urged the bloc to take the lead in demanding a ceasefire as Washington is increasingly focused on the upcoming presidential election.
„The political leadership of the USA is limited due to the ongoing election campaign”, noted Orban.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Moscow authorities had no information about the content of the Hungarian prime minister's letter to EU leaders.
„We don't know what he sent. How can we know?”, Peskov answered journalistic questions about the letter.