Hungarian Prime Minister did not coordinate his visit to Putin with European Commission

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has not informed the European Commission of his plans to visit Moscow to meet with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin on Friday.

European Commission spokesperson Eric Mamer was answering a journalist's question about whether Orbán, whose country currently holds the presidency of the EU Council, had informed the Commission of his intentions to visit Russia.

"Not at all, no. This was not coordinated with us or anyone else, as far as I know," Mamer said at a briefing in Brussels.

He also reiterated the statement of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who said that "appeasement will not stop Putin".

On July 5, the Hungarian Prime Minister arrived in Moscow, although Orbán's government did not confirm that the visit would take place until recently.

Before his departure, Orbán said on state radio that the EU Council presidency does not give Hungary a mandate to promote peace in Ukraine, but Hungary can be "a good tool in the hands of people who want peace".

EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell emphasised that Orbán's visit is taking place solely within the framework of bilateral relations between Hungary and Russia, not the EU Council presidency.