Orbán: Budapest Meeting Aims for Peace, Not Politics

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said the upcoming American-Russian meeting in Budapest is focused on promoting peace rather than serving any nation’s political agenda. Speaking on a national radio program, Orbán revealed he would also hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin later in the day and had already discussed global peace efforts with the U.S. President at a recent summit in Egypt.
Orbán explained that Budapest was chosen as the meeting venue because Hungary has consistently advocated for peace over the past three years. He confirmed that an organizing committee has already begun preparations for the summit, where U.S. and Russian foreign ministers are expected to resolve outstanding issues before a potential Trump-Putin meeting next week.
Dismissing speculation that the event could ease EU pressure on Hungary, Orbán said, “This meeting is not about us, but about peace.” He urged the European Union to reopen diplomatic channels and engage directly with the warring sides, emphasizing that Europe’s greatest challenge remains the ongoing war that has drained resources and divided nations.
Calling for a shift from military spending to peacebuilding, Orbán argued that Europe needs a security plan centered on stability rather than war, expressing optimism that European leaders would eventually “take the path of reason.”