Xi Jinping outlines "steps for peace in Ukraine" during meeting with Orban; Hungarian PM heads to Washington

He wrote about this on his X account on July 8.

“Peace mission 3.0. Beijing,” the post says.

Orban also posted a photo after landing at the airport in the Chinese capital.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry reports that Orban is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping "for in-depth communication on issues of mutual interest."

China Central Television has already reported on the meeting.

"Xi meets Hungarian PM Viktor Orban," the post reads without giving details.

Later, Orban confirmed that he had come to China to talk about Ukraine.

“China is a key power in creating the conditions for peace in the Russia-Ukraine war. This is why I came to meet with President Xi in Beijing, just two months after his official visit to Budapest,” he wrote.

At the same time, Xi Jinping emphasized an early ceasefire and hostilities, and the search for a political solution "that will benefit all parties," China's state-run CCTV reports. 

According to him, the focus should now be on adhering to the principles of "not overcrowding the battlefield, not escalating the conflict and not fanning the flames" to quickly cool the situation. 

The Chinese President emphasized that the international community must create conditions and provide assistance for direct dialogue and negotiations between the parties. He noted that only when all major powers use positive energy can the conflict see an early ceasefire.

He added that China "in its own way actively promotes peace and dialogue, encouraging and supporting all efforts that contribute to a peaceful resolution of the crisis." 

Orban will head to Washington

After his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Hungarian prime minister posted a video on his Instagram page showing a runway and the inscription "Next stop: Washington".

Orban did not disclose the purpose of the visit or whom he was to meet in the American capital.

   Photo: Viktor Orban's story on Instagram

• On July 2, Hungarian Prime Minister Orban arrived in the Ukrainian capital for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The meeting focused on Ukraine's peace plan.
• Subsequently, rumors appeared in the media that Orban planned to visit Moscow after visiting Kyiv.
• For his part, European Council President Charles Michel reminded that the EU presidency cannot interact with Russia on behalf of the bloc. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also reacted to the information about the Hungarian prime minister's trip to Moscow.
• On July 5, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrived in Moscow for a visit. At the Kremlin, he met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and called for a ceasefire.
• Orban also attended an informal summit of Turkic states in Azerbaijan on July 5-6. High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said that Budapest does not represent the interests of the EU in its interactions with countries and organizations.
• On July 7, it was reported that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is trying to divert the West's focus toward potential peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, aiming to weaken European support for Ukraine.