Czech President Petr Pavel has expressed concerns that leaders like Hungary’s Viktor Orbán are making it more difficult to establish the terms of peace for the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. This is not the first time that the Czech head of state has criticised the Hungarian PM. Additionally, Pavel, in an interview with The New York Times, emphasised the need for Ukraine to be realistic about the likelihood of regaining its occupied territories in the near future.
Pavel: “This may sound appealing, but it’s not true”
According to Pavel, the pro-Russian stance of leaders such as Orbán is weakening European solidarity and will likely result in some Ukrainian regions remaining under Russian control for an extended period, even after the fighting ends, Index reports based on Pavel’s interview with the New York Times. “The most probable outcome of the war is that Russia will retain control over parts of occupied Ukraine, at least temporarily. But that ‘temporary’ period could stretch for years,” Pavel said. This view is increasingly shared by European officials, especially after Ukraine’s unsuccessful counteroffensives last year.
The Czech president criticised Orbán’s rhetoric on supporting Ukraine, calling it nonsensical. He argued that a swift end to the war was essential to prevent further depletion of Europe’s resources.
“The problem lies in populism. It’s easy to say we shouldn’t send weapons to Ukraine and peace will follow. But that’s not realistic,”
Pavel added, referencing Hungary’s repeated claims that Western allies and NATO are war-mongering, while Orbán has advocated for a peaceful solution.
Pavel dismissed the idea that only Orbán desires peace, stating that the Hungarian leader’s approach is misleading. “To constantly claim that everyone wants war, and you’re the only one seeking peace—it may sound appealing, but it’s not true. Unfortunately, many people don’t realise that such promises are not realistic,” Pavel remarked.
The “peace mission”: Orbán’s visit to Moscow
In July, Orbán became the first EU leader to visit Moscow since the invasion began, meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This meeting followed a visit to Kyiv and was followed by a trip to Beijing earlier in the year. However, Orbán’s diplomatic tour did not result in any significant breakthroughs.
Ukraine’s territorial integrity and future are set to be central topics at this week’s NATO summit, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to request continued military and political support from Western allies. Zelenskyy is also slated to present his victory strategy to U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington.
Pavel: “Neither side should expect total victory”
Pavel pointed out that neither side—Ukraine nor Russia—should expect total victory or defeat. Ukraine must come to terms with the reality that it may not regain all its territories, such as Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014 and may never be returned. Conversely, Russia will have to relinquish its broader territorial ambitions over Ukraine. “The solution will likely fall somewhere in between,” Pavel noted.
While Ukrainian officials have signalled a greater openness to negotiations with Russia, they have also made it clear that any peace deal would come with a high price for Moscow, given the enormous loss of Ukrainian lives. However, a recent poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology indicates that the Ukrainian public is increasingly leaning toward the idea of ceding territory if it would lead to an end to the fighting. In the war’s first year, only 8–10% of Ukrainians supported such a move; by May of this year, that number had risen to 32%.
Despite Ukraine’s hopes for a resolution, Western officials maintain that any peace negotiations will need to involve Russia, even as Zelenskyy looks for ways to conclude the war without Moscow’s direct involvement.
Read also:
Czeck President is a spineless worm. The Czecks surrendered to Hitler immediately; now the Czecks are surrendering the EU even against their best interest. This idiot should figure out where they will get their oil/gas from, some I am sure comes from Russia.
Now if one idiot wants to jump in the ocean and most idiots follow, only the smart person remains on the boat, the rest drowns. Majority does not guarantee the right decision only a unified bias.
And by “unity” he means blind conformity to foreign interests at the detriment to your own people. No, thanks.
Mr. Putin and his acolytes have been very clear. In June 2024, he stated that Ukraine must fully withdraw its troops from Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhya Oblasts to end the fighting. Then, after Ukraine invaded part of Kursk Oblast, the Kremlin declared negotiations “impossible”. Mr. Peskov echoed this standpoint as late as September 24, 2024.
So – fight on, it is!
Hungary and Ukraine were never friendly. Now why should Hungary change its hate when the Ukrainians are just as annoying as before. Ukraine’s dumping chemically altered grain in the country to increase allergy and COPD types of diseases is not an act of a friendly nation; the chemical in the Ukrainian grain particularly affects children.
Ukrainian people elected Zelensky. Now if the Ukrainians do not support the war, they should force an election. Elections happen in democracies but not in Ukrainian’s Zelensky’s dictatorship.
Even Budapest tap water is not safe now a days. rotten bread and vegetables are being sold still in supermarket in budapest