Ukrainian diplomat jokes about coffee tactic for potential UN chief Orbán
Andrii Sybiha predicts Viktor Orbán will use his history of EU vetoes if the US-backed candidate is appointed.
By Alejandro Ruiz ·
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha outlined a strategy for managing a potential United Nations secretary general from Hungary by inviting him out for coffee. He posted the plan on X, responding to reports that the US administration is promoting former Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán for the top UN job.
Sybiha predicted that Orbán would rely on the veto and blackmail skills he built while blocking key decisions in the European Union. He specifically referenced a late 2023 summit where Orbán left the room, allowing other leaders to approve accession talks with Ukraine without a Budapest veto.
The minister joked that Ukraine could share its experience of removing the Hungarian leader from meetings at the right moment. He suggested the same approach could work to neutralize his influence if he holds the UN post.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the US is backing Orbán's candidacy, counting on support from China and Russia. In May, investigative journalists noted that figures in the MAGA wing of the Republican Party considered using a UN appointment to shield Orbán from prosecution in Hungary.
Hungarian journalist Szabolcs Panyi added that Orbán is preparing to move to the United States if legal action is taken against him in his home country.
Source: Ukrainska Pravda
