
Hungarian PM Viktor Orban refuses to sign EU statement on Ukraine
"Hungary does not associate itself with this statement," Orban said, reports TASS.
Signed by 26 EU leaders, the statement pledged both full support for Kyiv, as well as Trump's mediation efforts, highlighting the need to achieve peace under ambits of international law, and stating that 'International borders must not be changed with force,' urging for Ukraine to be called to the meeting while pledging for its integration into the bloc.
He further slammed the EU for trying to give instructions regarding the Putin-Trump meeting on Aug 15 in Alaska, as Ukraine has not been invited, stating that the bloc was in no position to pass instructions to anyone.
"Before the European liberal-mainstream choir sings about 'Putin's puppet' again, I would like to share why I could not support this statement on behalf of Hungary.
'The statement attempts to set conditions for negotiations to which the EU leaders were not even invited. It is sad per se that the EU has been sidelined. It would only be worse to give instructions from the bench," Orban wrote on his social media. UNI ANV SSP

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


News18
41 minutes ago
- News18
'Maybe I Won't Have To...': Trump On Imposing Secondary Tariffs On India After Russia Talks
Last Updated: Relations between India and the US were strained after Trump imposed 50% tariffs on India, including 25% duties that will come into effect from August 27. US President Donald Trump has signalled that he may not impose additional secondary tariffs on countries that are purchasing Russian crude oil, including India, as he met Russian President Vladimir Putin for a historic summit in Alaska on Friday. Relations between India and the US were strained after Trump imposed 50% tariffs on India, among the highest rates on any country, for purchasing Russian oil and called India's economy 'dead". India has pushed back against the tariffs, calling them unjust and unreasonable. While he was on his way to Alaska to meet Putin, Trump told Fox News aboard Air Force One that Russia had lost an oil client – India – after he imposed tariffs and indicated that he probably won't have to impose any secondary tariffs. 'Well, he lost an oil client, so to speak, which is India, which was doing about 40 per cent of the oil. China, as you know, is doing a lot…And if I did what's called a secondary sanction, or a secondary tariff, it would be very devastating from their standpoint. If I have to do it, I'll do it. Maybe I won't have to do it," Trump said on Friday. However, India has clarified that there has been no pause in Russian oil imports following Trump's punitive measures. 'May Have To Think About It…' 'India doesn't buy your oil. The European Union won't buy it. And why in the back of my head was I thinking, wait a minute, Donald Trump just delayed possible a possible increase in tariffs on China? Why do I think that probably President Trump was thinking ahead that maybe if you had to, that would have been part of the consequences?" asked Fox News host Sean Hannity. Trump replied by saying, 'Well, because of what happened today, I think I don't have to think about that now. I may have to think about it in two weeks or three weeks or something, but we don't have to think about that right now. I think you know, the meeting went very well." The highly anticipated summit between Trump and Putin yielded no agreement to resolve or pause Moscow's war in Ukraine, though both leaders described the talks as productive. US Warning On India Tariffs On Wednesday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had said if 'things don't go well" between Trump and Putin at the summit meeting, then secondary sanctions on India for purchasing Russian oil could go up. 'I think everyone has been frustrated with President Putin. We expected that he would come to the table in a more fulsome way. It looks like he may be ready to negotiate. And we put secondary tariffs on the Indians for buying Russian oil. And I could see, if things don't go well, then sanctions or secondary tariffs could go up," Bessent told Bloomberg. view comments First Published: News world 'Maybe I Won't Have To...': Trump On Imposing Secondary Tariffs On India After Russia Talks Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


United News of India
44 minutes ago
- United News of India
"No deal until a deal": Trump, Putin end talks with no results
Alaska/ New Delhi, Aug 16 (UNI) US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a 'very productive' summit in Alaska, aimed at finding a way to end the ongoing war in Ukraine which began on February 24, 2022. Despite the positive tone of the discussions, no formal agreement was reached during the meeting. Trump made it clear that 'there is no deal until there is a deal,' maintaining that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin made 'great progress' but did not emerge from today's summit with an deal on the war in Ukraine. Putin, who has demanded full control of four Russian-occupied regions in Ukraine, and Trump, who reportedly agreed to a framework involving land swaps and US-backed security guarantees, still face significant hurdles in finalizing an agreement. Trump agreed that 'big' issues remain unsettled, notably the territorial concessions Putin seeks and the terms for a ceasefire that are important to be agreed during the negotiations. While both leaders agreed on many points, the 'most difficult parts of the negotiations were left unresolved'. Trump emphasized that there was still a 'very good chance' of reaching a deal, even though no immediate resolution was achieved. 'I will call up NATO in a little while. I will call up the various people that I think are appropriate. And I'll, of course, call up President Zelensky and tell him about today's meeting. It's ultimately up to them,' Trump said after today's summit in Anchorage, Alaska. 'We had an extremely productive meeting, and many points were agreed to,' Trump said, adding, 'We didn't get there, but we have a very good chance of getting there.' Vladimir Putin characterized the talks as "positive" and said, 'We expect that Kyiv and European capitals will perceive all this in a constructive manner and will not create any obstacles, will not make attempts to disrupt the emerging progress through provocations and behind-the-scenes intrigues.' 'We had an extremely productive meeting, and many points were agreed upon,' Trump added. 'There are just a very few that are left. We didn't get there, but we have a very good chance of getting there.' During the press conference both leaders refused to take questions from mediapersons, Trump mentioned the 'wide areas of agreement' between the two leaders, though he offered little insight into how this would impact the ongoing war. Putin reiterated the need for greater US-Russia cooperation and mentioned that the talks were positive, but he did not provide specific details on how any breakthroughs would materialize. As he exited the stage, Putin said, 'Next time in Moscow.' The summit took place at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, a major US military base with Cold War significance, previously tasked with monitoring Soviet activity. Trump and Putin arrived in their presidential jets, and Trump was seen clapping as Putin stepped onto US soil for the first time since the invasion of Ukraine began. After the summit, Trump shifted the responsibility to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He revealed that a meeting would be arranged soon between Zelensky, Putin, and potentially himself. 'Now it's really up to President Zelensky to get it done,' Trump said in a Fox News interview. 'They're going to set up a meeting now between President Zelensky and President Putin and myself, I guess.' Trump declined to go into detail about the final sticking points preventing an agreement but stated, 'I want to see what we can get done.' Despite the lack of a deal, he rated the summit a '10 out of 10… in the sense that we got along great.' Putin, for his part, described the discussions as 'thorough and useful' and emphasized that Russia is 'sincerely interested in putting an end' to the war in Ukraine. However, he raised 'legitimate concerns' that need to be addressed before any resolution could be reached. Crucial issues surrounding territorial concessions, security guarantees, and the potential for a ceasefire remain unresolved. The war in Ukraine continues with no immediate breakthrough in sight. UNI XC AAB


India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
No ceasefire, no deal... What happened between Trump and Putin in Alaska
No ceasefire, no deal... What happened between Trump and Putin in Alaska | 10 Key points Trump and Putin meet: The crucial meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska ended on Friday after lasting more than two and a half hours. The whole world was watching this high-profile summit as it could have an impact on the Ukraine war and the security situation in Europe. This was the first time the two leaders met face-to-face since 2019. Both leaders were accompanied by their high-level team, where banners of 'Pursuing Peace' were put up. However, the two leaders have not yet reached any agreement on a ceasefire. President Donald Trump admitted that some progress has been made but 'big issues' still remain. He said, 'Many points have been agreed upon but some points remain. One issue is the most important, but I will not tell it right now.' Russian President Vladimir Putin said he is 'sincerely interested' in ending the war, but first the 'main causes of the conflict' must be resolved. He warned Ukraine and Europe not to 'sabotage' the talks. Putin described his relationship with Trump as 'business-like' and reiterated that the war would not have started if Trump had remained president after 2020. At the end of the press conference, Putin invited Trump in English to visit Moscow. Trump said it was 'interesting' and 'possible', although he acknowledged that he could face criticism for this. Russian President Putin praised Trump's 'friendly' tone and said that the US and Russia should 'open a new page' and move towards cooperation. He described Trump as a leader who has a 'clear mind' and cares about the prosperity of his country. After the meeting, the two leaders issued joint statements but did not take questions from the press. Putin called it the 'beginning of an understanding', but he too did not talk about any agreements. After the meeting, Putin laid flowers at the graves of Soviet pilots in Alaska who were killed while flying aircraft under the training and lend-lease program during World War II. The talks, originally scheduled to be one-on-one, later became 3-on-3 sessions. Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff participated from the US side, while Sergei Lavrov and Yuri Ushakov participated from the Russian side. This was considered a more cautious move than the 2018 Helsinki meeting. He said that he would soon talk to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders. Trump also indicated that his next meeting with Putin could 'probably' take place in Moscow. Putin has also invited Trump to visit Russia . The location of the strategic base in Alaska and its proximity to Russia made this meeting even more symbolic. Ukraine, on the other hand, is still facing heavy bombing and a tough war on a 600-mile long front. Zelenskyy was not part of this meeting. He said in a video message, 'Everyone wants an honest end to the war. Ukraine is ready for this, but the war is dragging on because there is no indication from Moscow that it wants to end it.'