Orban: Trump plans to end war in Ukraine by cutting funding

(Patria) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who returned to the country after a private meeting in the US with Donald Trump, said the former US president has fairly detailed plans on how to end Russia's war against Ukraine, and that he will not provide Kyiv with further funds to hasten the end of the conflict.

Speaking late last night in an interview with state television M1, Orban, whose government has refused to send weapons to Kyiv while maintaining ties with Moscow, said after meeting with Trump that "it is obvious that Ukraine cannot stand on its own feet."

The Hungarian prime minister's trip came at a time when Republicans in the US House of Representatives are blocking a $60 billion aid package, insisting on implementing border security measures in exchange for support for sending money to Kyiv.

The US Senate has already approved the package, most of which is for Ukraine to purchase American weapons and military equipment, reports RFE/RL.

US President Joe Biden, a Democrat who is the party's likely candidate for the presidential election in November, supported the aid package, but Trump, who has a more isolationist streak, criticized the aid package.

- He will not give a penny to the Ukrainian-Russian war and therefore the war will end - Orban said in the interview, speaking about Trump, who is close to becoming the Republican Party's candidate in the election.

- If the Americans do not give money and weapons, and the Europeans as well, then this war will be over. And if the Americans do not give money, the Europeans are not able to finance this war on their own, and then the war will end - added the Hungarian prime minister.

Orban has stood out in the EU for diverging from most bloc leaders and maintaining ties with autocratic leaders, such as Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Orban traveled to the US last week, where he met with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, foregoing any meetings with the White House during the trip.

Trump's campaign team said in a statement about the meeting held on March 8 that the two discussed "a wide range of issues affecting Hungary and the US, including the utmost importance of strong and secure borders to protect the sovereignty of each nation."

The statement did not comment further on the discussions, nor did it mention Ukraine.

Orban said that peace in Ukraine must first be achieved through a ceasefire, followed by a full peace agreement, for which Trump "has the means." He did not provide further details.

Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today that the Kremlin is aware of Orban's statement but had no comment.

- We saw it, but we have nothing to say, because no details were offered and it is not clear what kind of plan (Trump) that could be - Peskov said.

Orban has refused to send weapons to Ukraine to help it fight the Russian invasion and has criticized Western sanctions against Russia.

He has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in Ukraine to end the war. Convinced that Kyiv cannot win this war, Orban constantly calls for a ceasefire.