Kremlin spin without a filter

Orban explains to the EU in a letter what Putin still has in mind

Kremlin leader Putin (right) received Orban in Moscow, who then dutifully spread the Russian view of things in the EU.

(Bild: AP/Valeriy Sharifulin)

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban summarizes his unannounced trip to Moscow in a letter to the EU heads of state and government. In the letter, he presents Russian President Vladimir Putin's unfiltered view of the war against Ukraine.

Among other things, he writes that Russia will only take part in peace talks in which Ukraine also participates. Putin also has a plan for what the European security architecture could look like after the war. However, the Hungarian head of government did not provide any details.

Kremlin's view of things: ceasefire now or even greater escalation
In the letter, Orban also adopts Russian views on Moscow's war of aggression against Ukraine. The letter states that there is currently a chance of a ceasefire. However, if it is not possible to prevent an imminent escalation of the conflict, the next two months will see more dramatic losses than ever before. Time is a decisive factor here.

Furthermore, in the letter, which is dated last week, Orban passes on Russian views to his EU colleagues without further classification. The Russians are of the opinion that time is not on Ukraine's side, but on the side of the Russian armed forces, Orban writes. He also spreads unrealistically high Russian estimates of the number of Ukrainian victims and casualties in the letter, which is addressed to EU Council President Charles Michel and was also sent to the heads of state and government.

EU offended
Orban unexpectedly landed in Moscow on Friday for a visit, which drew strong criticism from the EU. Hungary took over the rotating presidency of the EU Council on July 1.

Putin had always linked the conditions he mentioned for an end to the war with the suggestion that they should be accepted quickly before the situation in Ukraine deteriorates further. In fact, life in Ukrainian cities has become more difficult due to the constant Russian bombardment of the energy system. On the front line, however, Russia is only making progress in the east and south with heavy losses and very slowly.