Hungary’s Orban Confirms Upcoming Visit to Putin in Moscow
BUDAPEST — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban will travel to Moscow on Friday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a visit he says will focus on securing Hungary’s energy supply ahead of the winter.
In a video statement posted to social media, Orban emphasized the importance of maintaining access to affordable Russian gas and oil. “I am going there to ensure that Hungary’s energy supply is secured for the winter and the following year at an affordable price,” he said.
Hungary remains heavily reliant on Russian energy imports, despite broader European Union sanctions imposed after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Orban asserted that this relationship has allowed Hungary to maintain “the lowest energy price in Europe.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the planned meeting to Russian state media, noting that the two leaders will discuss bilateral relations and international issues.
This will be the 16th meeting between Orban and Putin since the Hungarian leader returned to power in 2010, and their fourth since the war in Ukraine began. Orban’s continued engagement with Moscow has frequently placed him at odds with other EU leaders, particularly as Hungary currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The Hungarian prime minister has consistently opposed tougher EU sanctions on Russia and delayed Ukraine’s bid for membership in the bloc. Last year, he angered European partners by visiting Moscow on what he described as a “peace mission” shortly after assuming the EU presidency.
Orban recently met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, where he reportedly secured a temporary exemption from American sanctions on Russian energy imports. The White House has not yet published official confirmation of the waiver.
The Budapest leader, who faces a competitive re-election battle next year, has positioned himself as a potential mediator between Moscow and Washington. Although plans for a U.S.-Russia summit in Budapest were recently canceled, Orban continues to advocate for dialogue as a path toward ending the conflict in Ukraine.
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