The moment Mr. Orbán approached Mr. Zelensky on the sidelines of the EU Summit

A brief exchange captured on video between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of an EU summit on June 27 has sparked speculation about what might have been said.

According to Ukraine's Ukrainska Pravda website, in footage broadcast from the conference room at the Brussels headquarters, where EU leaders are gathering for a two-day summit, Mr Orbán is seen approaching and shaking Mr Zelensky's hand, and the two sides then have a heated conversation.

The viral video clip, which is 28 seconds long, shows the two leaders using hand gestures. According to Newsweek, Mr. Zelensky can be seen shaking his head slightly at what Mr. Orbán says. The video does not capture the topic of the conversation, but it is clear that it was quite an emotional conversation.

This came on the sidelines of a summit where Mr Zelensky was invited and the leaders of the 27 EU member states were discussing the Russia-Ukraine conflict, how to provide more military assistance to Kiev, as well as the issue of using Moscow's frozen assets to help rebuild Ukraine - a move that has drawn a sharp reaction from the Kremlin.

A quick conversation between Mr. Orbán and Mr. Zelensky on the sidelines of the EU Summit, June 27, 2024. Source: Viory

The conversation also took place just days before Hungary begins its rotating presidency of the EU Council on July 1, and days after the bloc begins accession talks with Ukraine.

According to Ukrainska Pravda, the lightning talks took place after Ukraine signed security agreements with the EU, as well as with Lithuania and Estonia.

A senior official of the EU's foreign policy agency reportedly told Ukrainska Pravda that he considered Ukraine's biggest success in the bilateral deal with the EU to be that it was signed despite Hungary's stance.

On June 27, Ukrainska Pravda also published a list of 11 demands related to minorities that Prime Minister Orbán made in exchange for Budapest agreeing to support the start of negotiations on Kiev's accession to the EU.

This is also not the first time Mr Zelensky and Mr Orbán have been seen talking to each other since the Russia-Ukraine conflict erupted more than two years ago. The two leaders were last seen having a tense conversation on the sidelines of the inauguration of Argentine President Javier Milei in December last year.

A video on the Argentine Senate’s YouTube channel shows Mr Zelensky and Mr Orbán chatting for about 20 seconds with other guests nearby in the Argentine Congress. The conversation took place before the EU, over Hungary’s objections, approved €50 billion in aid for Ukraine over four years (2024-2027).

Minh Duc (According to Newsweek, Ukrainska Pravda, Reuters)

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/khoanh-khac-ong-orban-tiep-can-ong-zelensky-ben-le-thuong-dinh-eu-a670656.html