Zelenskiy talks briefly to Hungary's Orban in Argentina

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban spoke briefly while attending the inauguration of Argentine President Javier Milei on Sunday, video on the Argentine Senate's YouTube channel showed.

Orban's press chief Bertalan Havasi confirmed the meeting in an email that did not address whether the Hungarian leader would continue to oppose Ukraine's entry to the European Union.

"With regards to Ukraine's EU accession, Viktor Orban signalled that the member states of the European Union were continuously discussing the issue," Havasi said in the emailed reply to a question.

Ukrainian media had speculated the pair might meet in Buenos Aires to resolve differences over Kyiv's bid for EU membership.

The men were shown conversing back and forth for about 20 seconds as they mingled with other guests in the Argentine parliament, ahead of an EU summit on Dec. 14-15, set to decide whether to start membership talks with Ukraine.

Orban has repeatedly said he opposes starting talks now. Any decision to proceed has to be unanimous.

Orban has also threatened to block moves to give Kyiv 50 billion euros ($53.80 billion) in budget support through 2027, though a senior official said on Friday that the EU would find ways to support Ukraine financially even if Hungary vetoed the move.

Zelenskiy made no immediate comment about the Orban meeting but said he was in constant contact with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and that he had spoken with her by telephone to coordinate their positions.

"We are counting on a positive decision regarding the allocation of 50 billion euros and the start of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU," he said in a post on Telegram.

"Europe must decisively defend its values and unity. I know that we can rely on the support of Madam President in this matter," he added.