Trump’s ‘going to solve’ Russia-Ukraine war, says Orbán

 Former U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed he will be able to "solve" the ongoing war in Ukraine, according to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Following a meeting between the two leaders at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on 2024-07-13, Orbán stated: "It was an honor to visit President Trump today. We discussed ways to make peace. The good news of the day: he's going to solve it!"

Trump concurred, saying on his social media platform Truth Social: "There must be peace, and quickly. Too many people have died in a war that should have never started!"

Orbán's self-proclaimed "Ukraine peace crusade" has seen him travel to Kyiv, Moscow, Beijing, and now Palm Beach, for meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and now Trump. However, Ukraine has not sought Orbán's assistance, instead focusing on its peace plan and efforts to punish Russia for its full-scale invasion, which has now lasted nearly two and a half years.

Zelenskyy commented on Orbán's peace mission during a press conference on 2024-07-12, stating: "With all due respect to all countries, big and small, we have to say that not all leaders can negotiate. You need to have certain powers and strength for this."

Orbán has been accused of echoing Russian narratives about the war, while pushing for alternative peace initiatives, such as the Chinese plan which would effectively freeze the conflict and halt financial aid to Ukraine. Since Hungary took over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union at the start of July, Orbán has announced he will use this position to work towards peace in the Russia-Ukraine war, even though this role does not grant him any special diplomatic status.

After he met with Putin and Xi, Orbán traveled to Washington, where he convened with fellow NATO leaders at a summit marking the alliance's 75th anniversary.

Trump, who currently leads incumbent President Joe Biden in polling in several key swing states ahead of the November 2024 election, has also claimed on multiple occasions that he would be able to end the war in Ukraine quickly, even before taking office.

The apparent alignment between Trump and Orbán on the issue of the Ukraine war raises questions about the former U.S. president's potential foreign policy approach should he return to the White House. Trump's previous praise for Putin and skepticism towards NATO have raised concerns among Ukraine's allies, who fear a shift in American support for Kyiv under a potential new Trump administration.

As the war in Ukraine continues to rage, the involvement of leaders like Orbán and Trump in seeking a resolution will be closely watched by the international community. However, Ukraine's position remains clear – it will not accept a peace plan that fails to hold Russia accountable for its aggression and territorial seizures.