During his regular appearance on Kossuth Radio’s “Good Morning, Hungary!,” Prime Minister Orbán emphasized that Hungary’s consistent pro-peace stance uniquely qualifies it to host such a historic meeting. “There is only one country on the European political map that has consistently and openly stood on the side of peace,” he said.
Recalling years of criticism, he noted that even during the darkest times, the late Pope Francis encouraged Hungary to persevere in its pursuit of peace.
The prime minister confirmed that he had spoken to U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday evening and will speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. Following a productive dialogue between Presidents Trump and Putin, a meeting between the two countries’ foreign ministers is now being scheduled within a week, potentially paving the way for the two leaders to meet in Budapest shortly thereafter.
“The president told me yesterday that the foreign ministers’ meeting is on the agenda. If all goes well, they could be here in Budapest in two weeks,” he announced.
The organizational work has already begun. PM Orbán stated that late Thursday evening, he issued instructions to establish the organizing committee and assigned the key responsibilities necessary to prepare for the summit.
“This meeting is not about us — it is about peace,” the prime minister stressed, addressing the significance of the summit beyond national pride. Nonetheless, he underlined the importance of Hungary’s diplomatic consistency in making it possible: “From the beginning, we have said war is a bad thing, but it is not a reason to shut down diplomatic channels. Without diplomacy, there will never be peace.”
Prime Minister Orbán also used the opportunity to urge the European Union to rethink its current trajectory. “Everyone in the Union is pro-war except us,” he said. “But the EU should not be absent from peace. Like the American president, we should be talking with the Russians — not just trailing behind U.S. diplomacy as auxiliary forces.”
Economic consequences of the war were also highlighted. “The EU has sent €180 billion into this war, while Christian people kill each other on Europe’s edge,” PM Orbán stated. “This war is inflicting the gravest damage on the European economy,” he added.
He argued that peace would mark the start of a new phase of growth and security for Europe: “If peace is reached, all war strategies must be thrown out the window. We’ll need a European security and defense plan — not because we’re at war with Russia, but because peace must be backed by military capability.”
“Peace opens a new era of economic development, and that is in the interest of every Hungarian family — even those who have never heard a word of foreign policy in their lives,” PM Orbán concluded.