Ukrainian minister criticises reported US push for Orbán to lead UN
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reacted critically in X to reports that the US administration is promoting Viktor Orbán for UN secretary-general. Sybiha warned that Orbán could use his vetoing and blackmailing skills against EU decisions and joked that Ukraine could share its experience of inviting Orbán for coffee at the right moment.
Key points
- Andrii Sybiha commented on the reported Orbán candidacy on X on 26 October.
- The US administration is reported to be promoting Orbán for UN secretary-general.
- The US administration reportedly expects support for Orbán from China and Russia.
- Sybiha said Orbán would use his veto and blackmail skills to undermine key EU decisions.
- Orbán left the EU summit hall in December 2023, enabling talks on Ukraine's EU accession to proceed without Hungarian veto.
- A US State Department official estimated that 8 of the 15 UN Security Council members could easily support Orbán.
Why it matters
Sybiha's reaction reflects Ukrainian concern that Orbán could influence EU decisions and Ukraine's accession negotiations if he became UN secretary-general. The reported US push also involves calculations about support from China and Russia, while scenarios discussed in the MAGA wing of the US Republican Party link a UN position with possible protection from legal proceedings in Hungary.
What happened
On 26 October, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha commented in X on reports that the administration of US President Donald Trump was promoting Viktor Orbán for the position of UN secretary-general. He expressed confidence that Orbán would use the vetoing and blackmailing skills he had honed over the years to derail important EU decisions. Sybiha also made an ironic remark about Ukraine sharing with the world its experience of inviting Orbán for coffee at the right moment.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian coverage centred on Sybiha's negative reaction and his coffee joke. The criticism was framed in light of Orbán's role in the EU decision to begin accession negotiations with Ukraine and the concern that his vetoing and blackmailing skills could undermine important EU decisions.
Background
Orbán left the hall during the December 2023 EU summit, allowing other leaders to approve the start of talks on Ukraine's EU accession without Hungary's veto. Anonymous officials said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz asked Orbán to step out for coffee while the decision was being made. A US State Department official estimated that 8 of the 15 UN Security Council members could easily support Orbán. Hungarian investigative journalist Szabolch Panyi said Orbán was preparing a refuge in the United States in case he faced prosecution in Hungary, while journalists reported that the MAGA wing of the US Republican Party was considering a scenario in which Orbán could obtain a UN position and avoid legal proceedings at home.