Orban’s Shuttle Diplomacy Angers EU and Whiplashes Allies

  • Hungarian premier’s meetings leave Western allies exasperated
  • Orban’s whirlwind diplomacy raises far-right leader’s profile
Hungary's Orban Visits China, Meets Xi
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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s recent trips to Moscow and Beijing had one thing in common: They blindsided his country’s Western allies.

European Union and NATO partners woke up on Monday to learn that Orban had paid a visit to President Xi Jinping in China. That followed a surprise meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week which caught out countries working to present a united front on Ukraine.