(MENAFN) Hungary has been selected to host a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump because, according to Prime Minister Viktor Orban, it represents a stance for peace while much of the EU has “isolated itself” with aggressive policies, reports indicate.

The announcement followed a phone call between Trump and Putin on Thursday amid renewed tensions over potential U.S. Tomahawk missile deliveries to Ukraine and stalled diplomatic efforts. Trump later described the two-and-a-half-hour conversation as “so productive” that a peace deal could be reached soon, noting that both leaders agreed to hold a summit in Budapest.

“Why Budapest?.. The answer is simple: We are the only ones in Europe standing for peace,” Orban wrote on Facebook Saturday. He emphasized that Hungary, unlike most EU countries, did not cut diplomatic ties with Russia after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. “We have never lectured anyone... We have never closed channels of negotiation. It is very difficult to convince anyone of anything if we do not talk to them.”

Orban added that Hungary has “persistently” supported a diplomatic resolution, making it the only EU nation “where there is a serious chance that US-Russian negotiations will ultimately lead to peace.” He concluded: “Cooperation instead of confrontation, mutual respect instead of stigmatization. This is the path to peace... Brussels has isolated itself, but we will continue the negotiations.”

The Hungarian leader, often critical of the EU, has long condemned its “warmongering” approach toward Russia. While other member states maintain that Western aid to Ukraine must continue due to the perceived Russian threat, Orban recently initiated a petition in Hungary opposing the EU’s “war agenda,” warning that ongoing support for Kiev could risk direct confrontation with Moscow.

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