【By Observer Net, Qi Qian】

Now, the EU countries are in an awkward situation.

"Imagine that when Russian President Putin steps off the plane in Hungary to attend a summit with Trump, this would become an embarrassing moment for the EU," Reuters published on October 17th said, "because these Ukrainian allies have been trying to isolate Russia."

The report stated that the choice of Hungary as the venue for the next Putin-Trump meeting surprised European diplomats and analysts.

Hungary is a NATO member and also a country that firmly supports Ukraine and isolates Russia - a member of the EU. Irony is that in 1994, it was there that the US, UK, and Russia signed the Budapest Memorandum, providing security guarantees to Ukraine in exchange for Kyiv giving up its nuclear weapons.

A senior official from a Western European country said: "It's awkward for both the EU and NATO. Timing is everything: the threat of Tomahawk missiles is escalating, and suddenly Putin wants to meet. However, if Trump can make progress, he should do it."

Recently, US President Trump said that he was considering providing Ukraine with "Tomahawk" cruise missiles or similar missiles. On local time October 17th, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy arrived at the White House to meet with Trump. When asked about the issue, Trump stated: "Of course, we will discuss this. This is exactly why we met today."

On October 17th, Trump met with Zelenskyy at the White House, CCTV News

According to reports by Reuters, Politico EU, and other European news websites, in addition to the stance issues, the EU will also face flight bans, international criminal court arrest warrants, and internal conflicts within the EU and Hungary, which are embarrassing problems.

The International Criminal Court previously issued an arrest warrant for Putin, but few observers believe this will be an obstacle in Budapest.

Politico EU also mentioned that due to the ban on Russian aircraft flying over EU airspace, if Putin wants to arrive in Budapest, he must violate EU measures, risking flying over Ukraine, or take a detour through the Balkans.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) stated that the flight ban applies to aircraft operated by Russian airlines, registered in Russia, owned or chartered by any Russian individual or entity, as well as "non-scheduled" flights that can carry Russian citizens to EU business meetings or vacation destinations. However, there are some exceptions, such as emergency landings or humanitarian purposes. In addition, member states may grant exemptions based on specific circumstances.

"Such exemptions must be granted individually by member states," Anita Hiper, a spokesperson for the European Commission, confirmed during a press briefing, stating that member states can make exceptions to the travel ban.

Notably, Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán has had a poor relationship with the EU Commission led by von der Leyen, with clear differences on issues such as the Ukraine issue, relations with China, and democratic issues.

Last October, Orbán and von der Leyen had a heated confrontation at the European Parliament, screenshot from video

Brookings Institution geopolitical analyst Bruno Feletti said that choosing Budapest as the meeting location means Putin can "kill multiple birds with one stone."

"On one hand, he will hold talks on the Ukraine conflict in an EU country, while the EU leaders are absent," he pointed out. "For Putin, this is a multi-layered blow to Europe in terms of symbolism, much stronger than holding the meeting in Turkey or elsewhere."

Reuters mentioned that Orbán is one of the most prominent international supporters of Trump's "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement, praised by the MAGA group for his firm stance on immigration and LGBTQ+ rights, as well as his focus on conservative Christian values. Trump recently said that Orbán is a "great, outstanding leader."

European officials expect that the Hungarian leader will emphasize his mediation role, which could boost his popularity before the next election.

Marcin Przydacz, foreign policy advisor to the Polish president, said: "Hungary will certainly try to present itself as an important role, committed to bridging the gap between two sharply different camps."

Some analysts say that domestic issues will determine the election results, but hosting this summit might help Orbán strengthen his argument that "contact with Russia helps end the war." Zoltan Novak, an analyst at the Center for Fair Political Analysis, said: "If a deal is reached, it will further legitimize Orbán's narrative about peace."

This August, the first Putin-Trump meeting took place in Alaska. At that time, European countries and Ukraine who wanted to "sit at the table" were anxious.

Orbán warned that Europe faces the risk of being "marginalized" on the Ukraine issue and suggested holding an EU-Russia summit. He said that if Europe wants to have decision-making power over its future, "it cannot act like a child by closing the door and throwing a tantrum."

This article is exclusive to Observer Net. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7562430789233672745/

Statement: The article represents the views of the author and is not necessarily the view of the platform. Please express your attitude by clicking the [Up/Down] buttons below.