Zelenskiy seen briefly talking to Hungary's Orban in Argentina

10 Dec, 2023

BUENOS AIRES/KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban spoke briefly while attending the inauguration of Argentine President Javier Milei on Sunday, video on the Argentine Senate's YouTube channel showed.

No details were immediately available about what they discussed. Ukrainian media had speculated the pair might meet in Buenos Aires to resolve differences over Kyiv's bid for European Union membership.

The men were shown conversing back and forth for about 20 seconds as they mingled with other guests in the Argentine parliament, ahead of a European Union summit next week.

Zelenskiy says change needed in Ukraine’s mobilisation system

The summit is set to decide whether to start membership talks with Ukraine. Orban has repeatedly said he opposes starting talks now. Any decision to proceed has to be unanimous.

Orban has also threatened to block moves to give Kyiv 50 billion euros in budget support through 2027, though a senior official said on Friday that the EU would find ways to support Ukraine financially even if Hungary vetoed the move.

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