Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is visiting Moscow this Friday, accompanied by a large delegation. Traveling with him are Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Construction and Transport János Lázár, and National Security Advisor Marcell Bíró. The trip was not coordinated in advance with either the European Union or NATO, and the United States was also reportedly not informed ahead of time.
European diplomatic sources suggest that the meeting may be part of regular contact practices with the Kremlin. According to reports, Orbán may use the visit to revive the idea of a short-term peace summit in Budapest involving Trump and Putin, though the main focus is expected to be on energy cooperation. Orbán aims to show that working with Putin is possible, securing gas and oil supplies from Russia, which runs against US and EU moves to reduce Russian energy imports.
Media note possible schemes involving the sale of Lukoil’s European assets to companies controlled by Orbán. The Hungarian premier continues to advocate for energy ties with Russia, effectively representing Russian interests in the EU—a stance that causes friction with countries like Poland.
Orbán’s approach aligns with Russian interests but may conflict with US energy plans for the EU market, adding to Donald Trump’s internal political challenges among Republicans and allowing Russia to maintain its energy presence in Europe.
Meanwhile, European leaders such as Ursula von der Leyen are proposing alternative financial support tools for Ukraine, including EU bond issuance for short-term loans to be repaid with future reparations. This is intended to address urgent funding needs for Ukraine before 2026.
