Ukraine Mocks Orbán UN Bid
Kyiv’s foreign minister says he will use a coffee break strategy to limit a potential UN chief.
By Grace Sullivan ·
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated on X that he expects Viktor Orbán to exercise his veto power for a decade if the former Hungarian prime minister becomes United Nations secretary-general. Sybiha referred to Orbán’s "masterful veto and blackmail skills" as tools he has used for years to block major European Union decisions.
The US administration is reportedly promoting Orbán for the top UN post, a move the Wall Street Journal says counts on backing from China and Russia. In May, investigative journalists reported that figures in the MAGA wing of the US Republican Party were considering this appointment. They viewed the role as a way to shield Orbán from prosecution in Hungary. Hungarian journalist Szabolcs Panyi noted that Orbán is preparing to move to the United States if legal action begins at home.
Sybiha proposed a specific diplomatic tactic to manage Orbán if he takes the job. He joked about inviting the former prime minister "for coffee" at the right moment. This reference alludes to an incident at a late 2023 EU summit. During that meeting, Orbán left the room, allowing other EU leaders to approve the opening of accession negotiations with Ukraine without facing a Hungarian veto.
"We can share with the rest of the world our great experience of taking him out for coffee at the right moment," Sybiha wrote. The comment offers a practical approach to neutralizing a leader who has a history of stalling international consensus through procedural delays.
Source: Ukrainska Pravda
