Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has paid his respects to the late Pope Benedict XVI as he lies in state inside St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. The bad boy of the European right has become increasingly isolated in his continued friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite condemning the invasion of Ukraine early on in the war. The populist leader most recently lifted its veto to a €18 billion aid package from the EU to Ukraine, but only after watering down sanctions against Russian oligarchs. Orban had issued a statement on the pontiff’s death, but his appearance in the Vatican was unannounced. “In our memory, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will always remain an example of high spirituality, and he will be remembered for his courage and commitment to interreligious dialogue,” Orban said Monday. He and his wife are expected to be among only a small handful of heads of state at the retired pope’s funeral on Thursday.
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