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Hungarian dance

Hungarian dance

Plans are afoot for a meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán. In a sane world, few would pay much attention. It’s only natural that two Central European neighbours would have close relations. But Orbán is delaying a €50 billion EU aid package for Ukraine while Republicans in Washington hold up passage of another $60 billion intended to enable Kyiv to keep fighting through the winter. Starved of cash, weapons and ammunition, Ukraine is having to shelve its ambition of driving Russian troops out and focus on defence. The main agenda item if Zelensky and Orbán do meet will be Ukraine’s proposed bid for EU membership, which most members support – and for which France’s Macron will make the case in a meeting with Orbán today – but which Hungary is currently vetoing. But there is a broader and more urgent question for Orbán as Putin is honoured with fawning receptions in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. Does he really want to let Russia win?


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