Zelensky invited Hungarian Prime Minister to visit Ukraine

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky had a telephone conversation with Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban on Tuesday

The head of state announced this on Twitter, the EP writes.

During the conversation, the Ukrainian president invited Orban to visit Ukraine.

"I had a fruitful conversation with the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán. I thanked for the support of Ukraine's sovereignty and the giving shelter to Ukrainians during the war. We agreed to develop cooperation in the energy sector. Thank you for supporting the candidate status. I invited him to visit Ukraine, " Zelensky wrote.

Orban's spokesman Bertalan Havasi said that the conversation was mainly about Ukraine's European integration. It was also about the reception of Ukrainian refugees in Hungary and "other spheres of Ukrainian-Hungarian cooperation."

According to the spokesman, the Hungarian PM assured of support for Ukraine's candidate status and called for "the elimination of bureaucratic obstacles to Ukraine's EU membership as soon as possible."

Orban will support this position at the EU summit on June 23-24, he added in an interview with Zelensky.

Public relations between Zelensky and Orban remained strained because of Hungary's position on sanctions against russia.

Immediately after winning the April election, Hungary's prime minister even named the Ukrainian president among those who prevented his party from being re-elected.

And in June, Hungarian Parliament Speaker László Kövér voiced his opinion of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's "mental health problems" because he strongly, sometimes harshly, asked Ukraine's partners for support.

However, Hungary has supported the sixth package of sanctions against russia and has previously spoken of supporting Ukraine's EU candidate status.