London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Feb 22, 2025

Orbán backs China’s Ukraine peace plan

Orbán backs China’s Ukraine peace plan

Hungarian PM draws fire from opposition lawmaker over support for Beijing’s proposal.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that his country supports China’s peace plan for Ukraine, countering Western leaders’ position on the Beijing proposal.

“We also consider China’s peace plan important and support it,” the Hungarian leader said in the national parliament Monday, adding that he wants Hungary to stay out of the war and not deliver weapons to Ukraine.

U.S. and EU officials had dismissed China’s Ukraine peace proposal as an attempt to distract from its pro-Russia stance, and NATO’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said last week that the proposal “doesn’t have much credibility because they have not been able to condemn the illegal invasion of Ukraine.”

Orbán’s remarks drew blowback in parliament on Monday.

“Why did the government side with the murderous Putin? Is it possible that the Hungarian prime minister is an agent of Russia?” former Hungarian prime minister and opposition leader Ferenc Gyurcsány asked during the parliamentary debate following Orbán’s speech.

The Chinese peace plan was presented shortly after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that China is considering providing lethal weapons to Moscow to use against Ukraine. Beijing also abstained from a United Nations resolution on Ukraine, which demanded that Russia immediately pull its military out.

Beijing’s 12-point statement, which was released last Friday on the first anniversary of the start of the war, includes criticism of unilateral sanctions, calls to resume peace talks and reduce strategic risks associated with nuclear weapons — and asks to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, without specifically asking Russia to withdraw its troops.

Nevertheless, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cautiously welcomed Beijing’s efforts toward ending the war, in what appears to be an attempt to keep dialogue with China open and prevent Beijing from providing weapons to Russia.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also said that the plan “deserves attention” in a news conference Monday, adding that the details have to be “a subject matter of thorough analysis.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Prison Officer Sentenced for Inappropriate Conduct with Inmate
Good News: Senate Confirms Kash Patel as FBI Director
Officials from the U.S. and Hungary Engage in Talks on Economic Collaboration and Sanctions Strategy
James Bond Franchise Transitions to Amazon MGM Studios
Technology Giants Ramp Up Lobbying Initiatives Against Strict EU Regulations
Alibaba Exceeds Quarterly Projections Fueled by Growth in Cloud and AI
Tequila Sector Faces Surplus Crisis as Agave Prices Dive Sharply
Residents of Flintshire Mobile Home Park Grapple with Maintenance Issues and Uncertain Future
Ronan Keating Criticizes Irish Justice System Following Fatal Crash Involving His Brother
Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat Restaurant Faces Unprecedented Theft
Israeli Family Mourns Loss of Peace Advocate Oded Lifschitz as Body Returned from Gaza
Former UK Defense Chief Calls for Enhanced European Support for Ukraine
Pope Francis Admitted to Hospital in Rome Amid Rising Succession Speculation
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, at the age of 83, Declares His Retirement.
Whistleblower Reveals Whitehall’s Focus on Kabul Animal Airlift Amid Crisis
Politicians Who Deliberately Lie Could Face Removal from Office in Wales
Scottish Labour Faces Challenges Ahead of 2026 Holyrood Elections
Leftwing Activists Less Likely to Work with Political Rivals, Study Finds
Boris Johnson to Host 'An Evening with Boris Johnson' at Edinburgh's Usher Hall
Planned Change in British Citizenship Rules Faces First Legal Challenge
Northumberland Postal Worker Sentenced for Sexual Assaults During Deliveries
British Journalist Missing in Brazil for 11 Days
Tesco Fixes Website Glitch That Disrupted Online Grocery Orders
Amnesty International Critiques UK's Predictive Policing Practices
Burglar Jailed After Falling into Home-Made Trap in Blyth
Sellafield Nuclear Site Exits Special Measures for Physical Security Amid Ongoing Cybersecurity Concerns
Avian Influenza Impact on Seals in Norfolk: Four Deaths Confirmed
First Arrest Under Scotland's Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone Law Amidst International Controversy
Meghan Markle Rebrands Lifestyle Venture as 'As Ever' Ahead of Netflix Series Launch
Inter-Island Ferry Services Between Guernsey and Jersey Set to Expand
Significant Proportion of Cancer Patients in England and Wales Not Receiving Recommended Treatments
Final Consultation Launched for Vyrnwy Frankton Power Line Project
Drug Misuse Deaths in Scotland Rise by 12% in 2023
Failed £100 Million Cocaine Smuggling Operation in the Scottish Highlands
Central Cee Equals MOBO Awards Record; Bashy and Ayra Starr Among Top Honorees
EastEnders: Four Decades of Challenging Social Norms
Jonathan Bailey Channels 'Succession' in Bold Richard II Performance
Northern Ireland's First Astronaut Engages in Rigorous Spacewalk Training
Former Postman Sentenced for Series of Sexual Offences in Northumberland
Record Surge in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Across the UK in 2024
Omagh Bombing Inquiry Concludes Commemorative Hearings with Survivor Testimonies
UK Government Introduces 'Ronan's Law' to Combat Online Knife Sales to Minors
Metal Detectorists Unearth 15th-Century Coin Hoard in Scottish Borders
Woman Charged in 1978 Death of Five-Year-Old Girl in South London
Expanding Sinkhole in Godstone, Surrey, Forces Evacuations and Road Closures
Bangor University Announces Plans to Cut 200 Jobs Amid £15 Million Savings Target
British Journalist Charlotte Peet Reported Missing in Brazil
UK Inflation Rises to 3% in January Amid Higher Food Prices and School Fees
Starmer Defends Zelensky Amidst Trump's 'Dictator' Allegation
Zelensky Calls on World Leaders to Back Peace Efforts in Light of Strains with Trump
×