EU funds 19 October 2023, 9:33am

Orbán's shaking hands with Putin causes major diplomatic uproar

Portfolio

A photograph of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán shaking hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Belt and Road conference in China earlier this week has sparked strong opposition among European Union diplomats. It was the first time an EU leader had made a gesture of friendship - i.e. a photograph of a handshake - to the Russian leader since the start of the war in Ukraine. Heads of permanent EU representations from several countries, including the Baltic states and Germany, have strongly criticised the Hungarian move, which could be on the agenda of the EU foreign ministers' meeting.

Lithuania raised the issue, stressing that contact with a leader under an ICC arrest warrant and EU sanctions is contrary to EU principles. Eight countries, including Germany, the Baltic states and Greece, backed Lithuania's criticism at Wednesday's EU ambassadors' meeting, although many diplomats suggested that the small number of countries publicly condemning the gesture did not accurately reflect the general mood in the room. Some diplomats say the issue is expected to be raised at an upcoming Foreign Affairs Council meeting, Politico reports.

Hungary argued that the meeting with Putin focused mainly on energy cooperation and peace efforts. According to insiders, Orbán claimed that the Hungarian foreign ministry had consulted several EU leaders before the meeting, even including European Council President Charles Michel in preliminary talks.

Michel's spokesperson confirmed that they had indeed communicated before the meeting, but he argued strongly against a special meeting in China.

The EU diplomats and member state representatives were not only annoyed by the photo, but also by the fact that at the meeting Viktor Orbán said that Hungary does not want a confrontational position towards Russia, and the government stressed its commitment to open communication. Putin echoed similar sentiments, stressing the importance of exchanging views on the global and European situation, despite acknowledging their differing positions.

The meeting took place during the two-day forum celebrating the 10th anniversary of Chinese President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), where Orbán and Putin discussed cooperation in the fields of natural gas and crude oil transport, as well as nuclear energy.

Critics have pointed out that Hungary's deepening energy ties with Russia, including the deals discussed at the meeting, could inadvertently prolong the war in Ukraine. Oleg Ustenko, economic adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, criticised the Hungarian government on the grounds that the money from such energy deals provides indirect funding for the Russian military.

The photograph also created a stir beyond the EU institutions:

So - Putin must end his war of aggression against Ukraine, end the bombardment of civilians, the shelling of schools and hospitals, the kidnapping of children? That was meant and discussed, surely?

Germany's ambassador to Hungary, Julia Gross, wrote on X (formerly Twitter) in response to a photo of the meeting.

Viktor Orbán is not the first to anger EU leaders with such a case: Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer met Putin in Moscow early last year, shortly after Russia launched its full-scale attack on Ukraine.

Cover photo: MTI Photo/Press Office of the Prime Minister/Zoltán Fischer