Vladimir Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, took advantage of the chance to speak with Viktor Orban, the prime minister of Hungary, whose government has threatened to obstruct Kiev’s request for a significant EU aid package, during the inauguration of Argentina’s new leader.
Social media videos of Zelensky and Orban at Argentine President Javier Milei’s inauguration on Sunday in Buenos Aires included footage from the Argentine Senate’s YouTube page. While other VIP guests at the event converse with one another nearby, the two men can be seen gazing intensely at each other and making gestures while they communicate.
There was no audio of the Zelensky-Orban talk in the videos. Andrey Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff, stated on Wednesday that he was attempting to set up an official meeting between his boss and Orban. According to Peter Szijjarto, the foreign minister of Hungary, a meeting of this kind would only be justified if there was a possibility that it would result in a “positive outcome.”
It is possible that Orban is impeding the EU’s intention to provide Ukraine with €500 million in military support and €50 billion ($54.4 billion) in economic aid to help finance Kiev’s war with Russia. In recent weeks, he has made the case that the bloc had to reevaluate its policies towards Ukraine, particularly the aid commitment and Kiev’s suggested EU membership. He has the right to veto both plans as an EU member. Orban has also asserted that it is irrational to believe that Ukraine can militarily overcome Russia.
Later this week, in Brussels, there will be an EU summit. The decision to start official membership negotiations with Ukraine was supposed to be put to a vote by the bloc, but Reuters said on Friday that the vote might be delayed.
Among the other foreign leaders who purportedly attended Milei’s inauguration were the presidents of Ecuador, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Armenia. Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, and Spanish King Felipe VI were among the other attendees.
Similar to Bolsonaro, Milei is a populist who has advocated for significant adjustments and a new chapter in leadership after years of socialist governance. He said on Sunday that the nation’s economic crisis will get worse before it gets better and warned of harsh austerity measures in the wake of a “sad history of decadence and decline.”
In his inaugural speech, he declared, “The political class left the country at the brink of its deepest crisis in history.” “We regretfully don’t have any options, but we aren’t looking for or wanting the difficult decisions that will need to be made in the upcoming weeks.”
