00:24Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban posted on his social media channel that he was on a 'mission for peace' as he held talks with Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday.
Footage shows the leaders shaking hands and sitting down for discussions.
Earlier, Orban announced his visit to the Russian capital with a picture from the airport, adding: 'The peace mission continues. Second stop: Moscow.' It comes less than a week after Hungary assumed the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the EU.
The European External Action Service said that Orban's visit to Moscow was taking place without 'any mandate from the EU Council' and in the framework of the 'bilateral relations between Hungary and Russia'.
"Prime Minister Orban has not received any mandate from the EU Council to visit Moscow. The EU position on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is reflected in many European Council conclusions. That position excludes official contacts between the EU and President Putin. The Hungarian Prime Minister is thus not representing the EU in any form," the service claimed.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that Orban's visit would not resolve the Ukrainian crisis, writing on X that unity and determination "will pave the path to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine"- adding "appeasement will not stop Putin".
Earlier this week, Orban visited Kiev and urged Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky to 'take a break', have a ceasefire and 'continue negotiations' - although admitted the response to his suggestion had been 'frank'.
Deputy Head of the Ukrainian presidential office Igor Zhovkva said that the ceasefire issue could not be 'considered in isolation' from other aspects of the conflict settlement.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the DPR and LPR, claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
'Mission for peace' - Hungarian PM Orban holds meeting with Putin in Moscow
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban posted on his social media channel that he was on a 'mission for peace' as he held talks with Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday.
Footage shows the leaders shaking hands and sitting down for discussions.
Earlier, Orban announced his visit to the Russian capital with a picture from the airport, adding: 'The peace mission continues. Second stop: Moscow.' It comes less than a week after Hungary assumed the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the EU.
The European External Action Service said that Orban's visit to Moscow was taking place without 'any mandate from the EU Council' and in the framework of the 'bilateral relations between Hungary and Russia'.
"Prime Minister Orban has not received any mandate from the EU Council to visit Moscow. The EU position on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is reflected in many European Council conclusions. That position excludes official contacts between the EU and President Putin. The Hungarian Prime Minister is thus not representing the EU in any form," the service claimed.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that Orban's visit would not resolve the Ukrainian crisis, writing on X that unity and determination "will pave the path to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine"- adding "appeasement will not stop Putin".
Earlier this week, Orban visited Kiev and urged Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky to 'take a break', have a ceasefire and 'continue negotiations' - although admitted the response to his suggestion had been 'frank'.
Deputy Head of the Ukrainian presidential office Igor Zhovkva said that the ceasefire issue could not be 'considered in isolation' from other aspects of the conflict settlement.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the DPR and LPR, claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban posted on his social media channel that he was on a 'mission for peace' as he held talks with Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday.
Footage shows the leaders shaking hands and sitting down for discussions.
Earlier, Orban announced his visit to the Russian capital with a picture from the airport, adding: 'The peace mission continues. Second stop: Moscow.' It comes less than a week after Hungary assumed the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the EU.
The European External Action Service said that Orban's visit to Moscow was taking place without 'any mandate from the EU Council' and in the framework of the 'bilateral relations between Hungary and Russia'.
"Prime Minister Orban has not received any mandate from the EU Council to visit Moscow. The EU position on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is reflected in many European Council conclusions. That position excludes official contacts between the EU and President Putin. The Hungarian Prime Minister is thus not representing the EU in any form," the service claimed.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that Orban's visit would not resolve the Ukrainian crisis, writing on X that unity and determination "will pave the path to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine"- adding "appeasement will not stop Putin".
Earlier this week, Orban visited Kiev and urged Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky to 'take a break', have a ceasefire and 'continue negotiations' - although admitted the response to his suggestion had been 'frank'.
Deputy Head of the Ukrainian presidential office Igor Zhovkva said that the ceasefire issue could not be 'considered in isolation' from other aspects of the conflict settlement.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the DPR and LPR, claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.