Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced in a late‑night social‑media post that he is flying to Moscow, citing talks about securing Russian gas and oil rather than Ukraine.
Late‑night Announcement
On Friday after 5 a.m., Viktor Orban posted on social media that he was “on the way to Moscow,” explaining that they would depart at four a.m. to arrive for a midday meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He said the purpose was to ensure continued supply of energy—gas and oil—to Hungary.
Energy Focus, Not Ukraine
Orban emphasized that Hungary had access to inexpensive Russian oil and gas, which are cheaper than international prices, and that U.S. sanctions had targeted Russian energy companies. He claimed that a recent visit to Washington had freed Hungary from such sanctions, enabling acquisition of the needed resources. He reiterated that the only remaining need was gas and oil, which could be bought from Russia.
Fourth Hungary‑Russia Summit
It is the fourth dialogue between Orban and Putin since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Putin, when asked on Thursday about the visit, said the Hungarian politician would be welcomed in Russia and that their cooperation in the energy sector was extensive. He noted that Budapest consistently blocks military and financial aid to Kyiv while strengthening ties with Moscow, defying sanctions aimed at curbing Putin’s war funds.
Hungary’s Continued Russian Oil Supply
Hungary and Slovakia are the last EU members to continue importing Russian crude by road, a result of exclusions from EU sanctions that began in 2023. Between the full‑scale invasion and the end of 2024, they imported crude worth €12.4 billion. The East Studies Center noted that Hungary, the only EU country since the outbreak of war, has not only maintained but increased its dependency on Russian oil—from 61 % in 2021 to 86 % three years later—while also sustaining gas imports.
