BRUSSELS, July 5. /TASS/. The European Union prohibits talking with Russian President Vladimir Putin in any official capacity, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said in a statement.

According to him, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has no right to represent the EU in a potential visit to Moscow even though Budapest currently holds the presidency of the Council of the EU.

"Prime Minister Orban has not received any mandate from the EU Council to visit Moscow," Borrell pointed out. He stressed that the EU’s position on Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine "excludes official contacts between the EU and President Putin." "Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s visit to Moscow takes place, exclusively, in the framework of the bilateral relations between Hungary and Russia," the top EU diplomat said.

Borrell emphasized that the fact that Hungary currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU does not entitle it to represent the union on the international stage, a responsibility he himself shares with the outgoing European Council President Charles Michel. Notably, Borrell will be succeeded by Kaja Kallas in October, while Michel will be replaced by Antonio Costa in December.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said earlier that he was not representing Brussels but acting on his own behalf in communication with Moscow and Kiev. However, he neither confirmed nor denied reports that he was planning to visit Moscow soon.

On July 2, Orban visited the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, where he met with Zelensky and suggested that Ukraine should announce an immediate ceasefire and negotiate with Russia. Following Orban’s trip, European media outlets assumed that he might make a visit to Moscow on July 5. However, European Council President Charles Michel said later that Hungary did not have an EU mandate to hold talks with Ukraine and Russia.