Hungary’s Orbán Meets Putin for Talks in Moscow in a Rare Visit by a European Leader

Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán arrive to deliver a joint press statement following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on July 5, 2024. (AFP)
Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán arrive to deliver a joint press statement following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on July 5, 2024. (AFP)
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Hungary’s Orbán Meets Putin for Talks in Moscow in a Rare Visit by a European Leader

Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán arrive to deliver a joint press statement following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on July 5, 2024. (AFP)
Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán arrive to deliver a joint press statement following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on July 5, 2024. (AFP)

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán visited Moscow to discuss prospects for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a rare trip to Russia by a European leader that drew condemnation from Kyiv and European leaders.

Orbán's visit comes only days after he made a similar unannounced trip to Ukraine, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and proposed that Ukraine consider agreeing to an immediate ceasefire with Russia.

"The number of countries that can talk to both warring sides is diminishing," Orbán said. "Hungary is slowly becoming the only country in Europe that can speak to everyone."

Hungary assumed the rotating presidency of the EU at the start of July and Putin suggested that Orbán had come to Moscow as a top representative of the European Council. Several top European officials dismissed that suggestion and said Orbán had no mandate for anything beyond a discussion about bilateral relations.

The Hungarian prime minister, widely seen as having the warmest relations with Putin among EU leaders, has routinely blocked, delayed or watered down EU efforts to assist Kyiv and impose sanctions on Moscow for its actions in Ukraine. He has long argued for a cessation of hostilities in Ukraine but without outlining what that might mean for the country's territorial integrity or future security.

That posture has frustrated Hungary’s EU and NATO allies, who have denounced Russia’s actions as a breach of international law and a threat to the security of countries in Eastern Europe.

Speaking after the Kremlin talks, Orbán said he told Putin that "Europe needs peace," adding that he asked the Russian leader for his thoughts on existing peace plans and whether he believed a ceasefire could precede any potential peace talks.

Standing alongside Orbán, Putin declared that Russia wouldn’t accept any ceasefire or temporary break in hostilities that would allow Ukraine "to recoup losses, regroup and rearm."

The Russian leader repeated his demand that Ukraine withdraw its troops from the four regions that Moscow claims to have annexed in 2022 as a condition for any prospective peace talks. Ukraine and its Western allies have rejected that demand, suggesting it is akin to asking Kyiv to withdraw from its own territory.

Putin said they also exchanged views on the current state of Russia-EU relations which, are "now at their lowest point."

Hungary at the beginning of the month took over the six-month rotating presidency of the EU Council, a largely formal role that can be used to shape the bloc’s policy agenda.

Orbán said that he looks at his six-month presidency of the EU Council as a "peace mission," saying the fighting in Ukraine had burdened Europe’s security and economy, and that only dialogue and diplomacy could bring an end to the hostilities.

"I wanted to know where we can find the shortest road to peace," Orbán said of his visit, adding that he’d also asked Putin on his view on Europe’s long-term security after hostilities end in Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that the visit to Moscow was Orbán’s idea and was only agreed to on Wednesday, adding that Moscow valued Orbán’s "strong, clear and consistent course" aimed at trying to resolve the conflict.

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Orbán's decision to visit Moscow was made "without approval or coordination" with Kyiv. It added that "the principle of ‘no agreements on Ukraine without Ukraine’ remains inviolable for our country" and called on all states to strictly adhere to it.

European officials have heavily criticized Orbán's trip to Moscow, the first such visit by a European leader since Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer met with Putin in the Kremlin in April 2022, just weeks after Russia sent troops into Ukraine.

"This is about appeasement. It’s not about peace," European Commission spokesperson Eric Mamer said.

The EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said in a statement that Orbán’s visit to Moscow "takes place, exclusively, in the framework of the bilateral relations between Hungary and Russia."

"Prime Minister Orbán has not received any mandate from the EU Council to visit Moscow," Borrell said, adding that his "position excludes official contacts between the EU and President Putin. The Hungarian Prime Minister is thus not representing the EU in any form."

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre voiced concern about Orbán's trip to Moscow, noting that it "will not advance the cause of peace and is counterproductive to promoting Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence."

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Orbán informed him in advance about his travel to Moscow but that he "is not representing NATO at these meetings."

Kaja Kallas, the outgoing Estonian prime minister nominated to become the next EU foreign policy chief, accused Orbán of "exploiting" the presidency and said the Hungarian leader is trying "to sow confusion."

"The EU is united, clearly behind Ukraine and against Russian aggression," Kallas, a staunch supporter of Ukraine, wrote Friday on the social media platform X.



Texas Flood Toll Rises to 24 as Rescuers Search for Missing Children

Members of Task Force 1 deploy boats along the Guadalupe River in the wake of a destructive flooding event in Kerrville on Friday July 4, 2025. (Christopher Lee/The San Antonio Express-News via AP)
Members of Task Force 1 deploy boats along the Guadalupe River in the wake of a destructive flooding event in Kerrville on Friday July 4, 2025. (Christopher Lee/The San Antonio Express-News via AP)
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Texas Flood Toll Rises to 24 as Rescuers Search for Missing Children

Members of Task Force 1 deploy boats along the Guadalupe River in the wake of a destructive flooding event in Kerrville on Friday July 4, 2025. (Christopher Lee/The San Antonio Express-News via AP)
Members of Task Force 1 deploy boats along the Guadalupe River in the wake of a destructive flooding event in Kerrville on Friday July 4, 2025. (Christopher Lee/The San Antonio Express-News via AP)

Rescuers were desperately searching for at least 20 girls missing from a riverside summer camp, officials said Friday, after torrential rains caused a "catastrophic" flash flood that killed at least 24 people as it swept through south-central Texas.

"At this point we're at about 24 fatalities," Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha told an evening press conference as rescue teams scrambled to locate stranded residents in the region northwest of San Antonio, reported AFP.

Some of the dead were children, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said at a previous news conference.

The county sheriff said there were "kids that are still missing", adding that between 23 and 25 people were unaccounted for.

Lieutenant Governor Patrick previously said "about 23" girls attending a summer camp in the flooded Kerr County were missing.

They were part of a group of around 750 children at Camp Mystic, a girls summer camp along the banks of the Guadalupe River which rose 26 feet (eight meters) in 45 minutes with heavy rainfall overnight.

"That does not mean they've been lost, they could be in a tree, they could be out of communication," he said.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he was signing a "disaster declaration" to boost resources in counties in the region.

"It's terrible, the floods," US President Donald Trump told reporters Friday night. "It's shocking."

Asked if Texas would receive federal aid, he said: "Oh yeah, sure, we'll take care of it. We're working with the governor."

- Rescue efforts -

A massive rescue operation was underway in the region, with around 500 personnel and 14 helicopters helping in the search for survivors.

Texas military official Major General Thomas Suelzer told reporters at least 237 people had been rescued or evacuated by emergency personnel, with 167 rescues performed using helicopters.

Freeman Martin, director of the state's public safety department, told the evening conference: "We had a hard time getting in this morning with the weather the way it was."

"As the day went on, it picked up and we were able to rescue more and recover more, that will continue tomorrow," Martin said, calling the disaster a "mass casualty event."

US media reported that trucks had arrived at Camp Mystic to transport stranded people.

State and local officials warned against residents traveling to the area which includes camp grounds dotted along the river, with dozens of roads "impassable."

Videos on social media showed houses and trees swept away by the flash flood caused by heavy overnight rain of up to 12 inches -- one-third of Kerr County's average annual rainfall.

Governor Abbott shared a video on X of a victim being plucked from the top of a tree by a rescuer dangling from a helicopter, as floodwaters raged below.

"Air rescue missions like this are being done around the clock. We will not stop until everyone is accounted for," he said.

The Texas National Guard sent rescue teams and the US Coast Guard joined efforts as well.

- 'Another wave' -

Public safety official Martin warned of "another wave" that could impact other counties in the state, adding that "this is not going to end today".

Kerr County officials have repeatedly said they were unaware of an impending flood overnight from Thursday to Friday.

"We didn't know this flood was coming," Kerr County judge Rob Kelly said earlier on Friday, adding that the region has "floods all the time."

"This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States," he added, referring to the Guadalupe River.

Soila Reyna, 55, a Kerrville resident who works at a local church helping people who lost their belongings, witnessed the devastation unfold.

"It has been years since we had a flood, but nothing like this," Reyna said.

"Nothing like as catastrophic as this, where it involved children, people and just the loss of people's houses and you know, it's just crazy," she added.

Forecasters issued a flood warning for Kerr County, urging those living near the river to "move to higher ground."

Flash floods, which occur when the ground is unable to absorb torrential rainfall, are not unusual.

But scientists say in recent years human-driven climate change has made extreme weather events like floods, droughts and heatwaves more frequent and intense.

In mid-June, at least 10 people were killed by flash flooding in San Antonio following torrential rains.

In the northeastern state of New Jersey, at least two people were killed when a tree fell on their vehicle during a "severe storm," local police confirmed on Friday.