Ukraine Foreign Minister Jokes About Using Coffee Tactic to Manage Orbán at UN
Sybiha predicts the Hungarian leader would employ veto power and blackmail tactics if elected, referencing a 2023 summit incident where leaders left him in a coffee room to pass a key vote.
By Isabella Melnyk ·
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X that Ukraine possesses a specific strategy for managing Viktor Orbán if the former Hungarian prime minister is elected United Nations secretary-general.
Sybiha expressed confidence that Orbán would utilize "masterful veto and blackmail skills" he developed while derailing European Union decisions. He referenced a late 2023 EU summit incident where leaders temporarily removed Orbán from the meeting room to approve Ukraine's accession negotiations without a Hungarian veto.
The minister described this method as a successful experience that Ukraine can share globally. He wrote that the country can take Orbán out for coffee at the right moment to facilitate decision-making.
The comments follow reports that the US administration is actively promoting Orbán for the UN post. The Wall Street Journal noted that Washington is counting on support from China and Russia for this bid.
In May, investigative journalists reported that figures within the MAGA wing of the US Republican Party considered a scenario where Orbán would hold a UN position to shield himself from Hungarian prosecution. Hungarian journalist Szabolcs Panyi stated that Orbán is preparing to move to the US if legal action is taken against him domestically.
Source: Ukrainska Pravda
