Hungarian Prime Minister Orban is in the Chinese capital Beijing. He will speak there later today with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

This is Orban’s third surprise visit in a week. He previously spoke in Kiev with Ukrainian President Zelensky. On Friday, Russian President Putin welcomed Orban to Moscow.

Why Orbán traveled to China and what he will discuss with Xi is unclear. According to one of the Hungarian prime minister’s staffers, “the peace mission is ongoing.” China says it is discussing “issues of common interest.”

Hungary took over the rotating presidency of the European Union from Belgium last week. The country will hold the presidency for the next six months. A day after Hungary took over the presidency, Orban was already in Kyiv. There, he spoke with Zelensky about the war in Ukraine and the rights of Hungarians in the country.

The visit was a surprise to Brussels and a surprise. Orbán is a loyal partner of Russian President Putin and believes that European support for Ukraine only exacerbates the conflict. Hungary is therefore often difficult when the EU wants to support Ukraine.

A few days after his visit to Kiev, Orban visited Russian President Putin in the Kremlin. There was also talk of war there.

Orban’s visit has caused a great deal of surprise and anger in Brussels. Several EU leaders have expressed their displeasure at Orban’s visit to Russia.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, among others, said Orban was visiting Putin on his behalf, not on behalf of the EU. European Council President Michel said Orban, as EU president, had no mandate to deal with Russia on behalf of the EU. Orban’s peacemaking role has also been met with some scepticism in Brussels.