Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban made a surprise visit to Beijing where Chinese leader Xi Jinping called for a global effort to push Russia and Ukraine toward a cease-fire. This visit highlighted how Xi and Russian President Putin are working together to create a multipolar world order that is not dominated by the United States. Orban’s diplomatic efforts have drawn criticism in the West, especially after his visits to Kyiv and Moscow last week, where Ukraine’s President Zelensky called for global pressure to halt Russia’s aggression.
While Xi praised Orban’s diplomatic initiatives, Russian missiles continued to rain down on Ukrainian cities, causing death and destruction. Zelensky urged the world to unite against Russia’s strikes and work towards achieving true peace and security. Orban’s visit to China, following his trips to Kyiv and Moscow, has showcased the complex geopolitical relationships at play in the current conflict, with E.U. officials disavowing his efforts and emphasizing that he does not have a mandate to conduct diplomacy on behalf of the E.U.
