Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday. During the meeting, both leaders discussed the Ukraine crisis.

While various political experts are describing Orban’s visit to Beijing as a “sudden” and “surprising” trip after his trip to Moscow and Kiev, he has described these trips as a “peace campaign”.

Some Chinese experts say Orbán’s diplomacy could help amplify some pragmatic voices within the European Union.

Orban’s visit to China came after Hungary assumed the presidency of the EU. Experts noted that the visit reflects a rational and pragmatic voice in Europe amid existing differences between China and the EU in areas such as electric vehicles.

Orban briefed Xi on recent visits to Ukraine and Russia. In addition to praising Orbán’s efforts to promote a political solution to the Ukraine crisis, President Xi expressed China’s relevant ideas and proposals in detail.

Xi emphasized that a ceasefire and a political solution are in the interest of all parties and said that the priority is to calm the situation by taking into account the principle of not expanding the war zone and not escalating the fighting.

Xi called on the international community to create a comfortable environment and support direct talks and resumption of dialogue between the two sides, saying that only if all major countries bring positive energy instead of negative energy, the conflict can be truceed as soon as possible.

“China is actively promoting peace talks in its own way and is encouraging and supporting all efforts for a peaceful resolution of the crisis,” Xi said, adding that China and Hungary have the same basic proposals and the direction of their efforts, and that China and Hungary are willing to stay in touch with all relevant parties.

Despite Hungary’s dual membership of both the EU and NATO, Orbán has positioned himself against proposals to provide military aid to Ukraine and integrate Ukraine into NATO and the EU.