Continuing the Ukrainian war means continuing the problem, he warned.

In an interview with national radio Kossuth on Friday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that “Europe should not be preparing for war but for peace.”

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“What is Europe’s biggest problem? The war is the biggest problem. Continuing the war means continuing the problem. The European Union has sent 180 billion euros directly into this war,” he stated.

Concerning the upcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump scheduled to take place in Budapest, the Hungarian leader said preparations have started, with the foreign ministers of the United States and Russia working to “try to settle the outstanding issues within a week, then a week after that they (Trump and Putin) could be in Budapest.”

He described Hungary as the only pro-peace country in Europe, which has “consistently, openly, loudly — and indeed actively” stood for peace over the past three years.

While there are many possible venues outside Europe for the high-level meeting between the United States and Russia, within Europe, there is no other place but Budapest, he said and urged Europe to “throw out” its war plans and “create a peace plan… that has a security pillar.”

Orban said he already talked with Trump and will also speak with Putin to prepare for their meeting, adding the cost and inconvenience of the summit are worth it, because nothing can bring greater profit than peace. “If there is peace, a new phase of economic development can be opened, and that is in the interest of every Hungarian family,” he said.

On Thursday, Trump said he and other “high-level advisors” will meet Putin in Budapest to discuss how to end the war in Ukraine. The meeting will be the second time the leaders have come face-to-face during Trump’s second term, and could happen within the next two weeks, the U.S. president stated.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: Xinhua

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