Ukraine Says It Will Stall Potential UN Chief Orbán With Coffee Breaks

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described a specific tactic to limit the power of former Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán should he become the United Nations secretary-general. Speaking on X, Sybiha said he expects Orbán to rely on the "masterful veto and blackmail skills" he honed while blocking major European Union decisions for years.

The minister proposed inviting Orbán "for coffee" during key UN sessions. This approach mirrors a move used at an EU summit in late 2023, when European leaders removed Orbán from the room to secure approval for Ukraine’s accession talks without a Hungarian veto. Sybiha wrote that Ukraine is prepared to share this "great experience" with the rest of the world to manage the former leader at the right moment.

The comments follow reports from the Wall Street Journal that the US administration is backing Orbán’s candidacy for the top UN post. The strategy relies on securing votes from China and Russia to push the appointment forward. Sybiha’s remarks suggest Kyiv views the potential appointment as a challenge that requires active diplomatic intervention rather than passive acceptance.

The push for Orbán also connects to earlier investigations into his legal status. In May, journalists reported that figures in the MAGA wing of the Republican Party considered a UN appointment as a way to shield Orbán from prosecution in Hungary. Hungarian investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi later stated that Orbán is preparing to move to the US if legal action proceeds against him at home.

Sybiha’s strategy frames the coffee invitation as a tool to delay or neutralize Orbán’s ability to block multilateral actions. By referencing a specific past success, the Ukrainian minister indicated a preference for informal pressure over formal procedural battles. The plan relies on the assumption that Orbán’s behavior at the UN will mirror his previous conduct in EU institutions.