Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing on July 8. (Source: AFP)

On social network X, Prime Minister Orban posted a photo of his trip and said: “China is a key power in creating peace in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This is why I went to Beijing to meet President Xi Jinping, just two months after his official visit to Budapest.”

Hungary's MTI news agency reported on the two leaders' meeting in Beijing, in which the head of the Hungarian government said: "We are a peaceful people. Therefore, we stand on the side of peace."

Mr Orban recalled that the military conflict in neighboring Ukraine has been going on for two and a half years and during this time “Hungary has been living in the shadow of a conflict”.

“So it is very important for us that China is calling for world peace. Regarding the conflict next to Hungary, we appreciate your peace initiative,” he told Chinese President Xi Jinping.

For his part, President Xi Jinping made it clear that the current focus is to as much as possible ease the situation in Ukraine and let the international community create conditions and support the resumption of direct dialogue between Kiev and Moscow.

Hungary, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency, has repeatedly expressed support for the 12-point peace plan proposed by China on February 24, 2023, which includes a ceasefire and resumption of peace talks.

The Hungarian Prime Minister is on a long-term tour of a number of countries around the world. On July 5, in Moscow, he held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on ways to resolve the conflict in Ukraine and launch peace talks.

Earlier, on July 2, Mr. Orban also visited Kiev and held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. After his visit to China, Mr. Orban is scheduled to visit the United States.