Ukraine's Coffee Tactic Could Last a Decade Under Orbán

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha outlined a specific plan to manage Viktor Orbán if the former Hungarian prime minister becomes the next UN secretary-general. The strategy relies on removing Orbán from the room at critical moments to prevent him from blocking key decisions.

Sybiha stated on X that he is confident Orbán would use the veto and blackmail skills he developed while derailing EU decisions. He predicted this behavior would continue for the full duration of any term, potentially spanning ten years of similar tactics at the UN.

The proposed solution involves inviting Orbán for coffee. Sybiha referenced an incident from late 2023 at an EU summit where leaders approved opening accession negotiations with Ukraine after Orbán left the meeting room.

"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 move is designed to replicate that specific diplomatic success on a larger international stage.

The US administration is reportedly promoting Orbán for the role, counting on backing from China and Russia. In May, investigative journalists noted that some MAGA Republicans considered appointing Orbán to a UN position to shield him from prosecution in Hungary. Hungarian journalist Szabolcs Panyi added that Orbán is preparing to flee to the US if legal action proceeds in Budapest.