Putin meets with Hungarian Prime Minister in the Kremlin

Moscow. November 28. INTERFAX.RU – Russian President Vladimir Putin receives Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the Kremlin. On the Russian side, the negotiations involve the President’s assistant Yuri Ushakov, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Unlike other European leaders, the head of the Hungarian government is visiting Russia for the second time since the start of the current situation. Orban announced his trip to Moscow on Friday morning on his social media. The Hungarian Prime Minister emphasized the importance of this trip in light of the need to ensure ‘energy security and affordable low electricity prices’ for his country this winter. In turn, Putin, the day before in Bishkek, when asked about a possible meeting with Orban on Friday, said: ‘If Prime Minister Orban deems it possible to accept our invitation, we are always happy to see him.’ The President added that ‘we are always happy to welcome any of our partners in Russia, including – despite their aggressive behavior – our European colleagues, especially Viktor Orban.’ ‘We know his position, it is quite objective, he is one of those people who see the realities on the ground and, based on these realities, formulate their political position,’ Putin said. He also reminded that Russia and Hungary have bilateral issues to discuss. ‘There is a very high level of cooperation in the energy sector, not to mention the Paks nuclear power plant,’ the President of the Russian Federation recalled. Putin and Orban met in person over a year ago – on July 5, 2024. The Prime Minister of Hungary visited Moscow as part of a peacekeeping mission after his visit to Kiev, but he did not inform the Ukrainian leadership about his plans to visit Russia at that time. During the same tour, Orban visited China and the United States.