The two leaders spoke during a telephone interview, which was echoed by the Kremlin.
Vladimir Putin, March 29, 2023, in Moscow (SPUTNIK / GAVRIIL GRIGOROV)
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban spoke by telephone on Wednesday December 11 and notably “exchanged their points of view” on the situation in Ukraine, the Kremlin announced. Victor
In a press release, the Russian presidency affirms that Mr. Orban said he was looking for a “political-diplomatic” solution, in particular thanks to “his contacts with Western leaders”. For his part, during this call,
Vladimir Putin denounced “the destructive line of the kyiv regime” which excludes a “peaceful resolution” of the conflict,
still according to this press release from the Kremlin.
On Monday, Viktor Orban spoke with US President-elect Donald Trump at his residence in Florida, continuing his “mission for peace” in Ukraine, according to Budapest.
Orban’s last stand as EU Council president
The Hungarian Prime Minister, who has remained close to the Kremlin, is one of the rare EU leaders to maintain long-standing contacts with his “friend” Donald Trump, whom he has already met twice this year and whom he he has supported it since 2016. This December he completes Hungary’s transition to the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, which began on July 1.
Saying he was seeking a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Ukraine, by meeting officials from both camps,
Mr. Orban irritated his European partners in July by going to see Vladimir Putin in Moscow, without prior consultation.
During Wednesday’s call, Messrs. Putin and Orban also discussed “economic and commercial” cooperation between Moscow and Budapest, according to the Kremlin, including “mutually beneficial projects in the energy field.” In the energy sphere, Hungary remains dependent on Moscow and imports around two thirds of its gas from Russia.
