Sybiha: Ukraine Will Use Coffee to Manage Orbán's Veto Power

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha outlined a specific diplomatic maneuver to handle Viktor Orbán should the former Hungarian prime minister become United Nations secretary-general. Sybiha posted his comments on X, responding to reports that the US administration is actively promoting Orbán for the post.

Sybiha predicted that Orbán would rely on the "masterful veto and blackmail skills" he developed while derailing major decisions in the European Union. The minister referenced a late 2023 EU summit where Orbán left the meeting room, allowing other leaders to approve accession negotiations with Ukraine without 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 remark alluded to the tactic of removing Orbán from the room to secure votes on critical issues.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Washington is pushing for Orbán's appointment, counting on backing from China and Russia. This effort follows May reports from investigative journalists that figures in the MAGA wing of the US Republican Party were exploring a UN position for Orbán. Such a role could shield him from potential prosecution in Hungary.

Hungarian investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi stated that Orbán is preparing to move to the US if legal action proceeds against him at home. Sybiha's remarks offer a preview of how Kyiv intends to navigate the next decade of UN leadership if the former prime minister takes the top job.