Russian President Vladimir Putin received Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Moscow, on Friday. The two leaders held detailed talks on Russian oil and gas supplies.
Orban has described Russia's oil as “vital for Hungary’s energy security", despite being criticised by European leaders for purchasing it.
According to a statement by the Hungarian Foreign Ministry, the country imported 8.5 million metric tonnes of crude oil and more than 7 billion cubic metres of natural gas from Russia this year.
This was made possible after United States granted Hungary a sanctions exemption earlier this month to continue using Russian oil and gas. Orban successfully pressed his case during a friendly meeting with U.S President Donald Trump in Washington.
Putin described Hungary’s position on the Ukraine war as “balanced” and noted that bilateral trade, which had fallen by 23% last year due to “external restrictions”, recovered by 7% in 2025.
The Russian leader reportedly reaffirmed that he welcomed Budapest as the venue for the postponed Russia–U.S. summit with President Trump.
While on air, he mentioned the summit idea had come from Trump during their phone call on 16 October. "He immediately said: we have good relations with Hungary, you have good relations with Viktor (Orban), I suggest this option," Putin said.
After U.S. and Russian diplomats failed to reach agreement in preparatory talks, Trump announced that the meeting had been “cancelled for now”.
The Hungarian PM voiced hope that ongoing diplomatic efforts — including envoy Steve Witkoff’s planned meeting with Putin in Moscow next week — would advance negotiations to end the war. “We very much hope that the peace proposals on the table will lead to a ceasefire and peace,” Orban said.
Earlier on Facebook, Orban wrote that he was visiting Moscow “to ensure Hungary’s energy supply is secured for the winter and next year.”
The meeting marked a rare visit by an EU and NATO leader to Russia since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine.
Notably, Viktor Orban also met with Putin in Moscow, in July 2024. He is one of the few European leaders to continue visits to Russia amid the Ukraine conflict.
Last week, he reportedly said he would oppose continued EU support for Ukraine unless the bloc backed a 28-point peace plan supported by Trump, which imposes strict conditions on Kyiv.
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