Sybiha Suggests Ukraine Will Use Coffee Strategy to Manage Orbán at UN

The United States is actively supporting a bid by former Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán for the United Nations secretary-general post, according to recent reports. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha responded to the news on social media on Sunday, outlining how Kyiv intends to manage the former leader if he secures the role.

Sybiha expressed confidence that Orbán would utilize his experience from European Union politics. The minister stated that Orbán would put to good use the masterful veto and blackmail skills he has developed over years of derailing major EU decisions. This assessment links the potential UN appointment to Orbán's historical track record of blocking consensus within European institutions.

The Ukrainian official drew a specific parallel to an incident at an EU summit in late 2023. During that meeting, Orbán left the room, which allowed other leaders to approve the opening of accession negotiations with Ukraine without a Hungarian veto. Sybiha referenced this event as a model for future interactions at the UN.

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 comment suggests a tactical approach to handling Orbán's presence in the UN secretariat.

The push for Orbán appears to be part of a wider strategic calculation by the US administration. The Wall Street Journal reported that Washington is counting on support from China and Russia to elevate the former prime minister to the post. This move aligns with scenarios discussed by figures in the MAGA wing of the Republican Party earlier this year.

In May, investigative journalists noted that some US politicians considered appointing Orbán to a UN position to shield him from prosecution in Hungary. Hungarian journalist Szabolcs Panyi has also reported that Orbán is preparing to move to the US if legal actions are initiated against him at home.