Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Tuesday in Moscow during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin that “no European leader wants war”, referring to tensions over Ukraine.
After the Hungarian opposition asked him to cancel his visit to the Russian capital, Orbán had promised he would consult with allies in the European Union and NATO before boarding, and decided to travel.
“No European leader wants war. We are in favor of peaceful agreements,” Orbán said at the start of the meeting with Putin in the Kremlin.
Both the Hungarian premier and the Russian leader are also scheduled to meet this month with the president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, in their respective countries.
Unlike other Eastern European countries such as Poland, Romania and Bulgaria, Hungary has not clearly expressed support for Ukraine in the last few weeks on Russia’s issues.
Recently, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó assured that his country will not support Ukraine as long as it continues to discriminate against the Hungarian minority on Ukrainian territory, estimated at 150,000 people.
According to the Budapest press, Orbán wants to strengthen economic cooperation with Russia ahead of April’s parliamentary elections, in which the opposition has a chance to oust him from power.
Yesterday, the Kremlin praised the Hungarian leader’s independence in his choice of partners.
“We are impressed by Hungary’s independent stance in pursuing its own interests and choosing its partners,” said Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
On Tuesday, Putin backed Orbán in the April election, saying he “has done a lot for the interests of Hungary and the Russian Federation.”
In addition, he assured that Moscow will work “with whoever is elected prime minister” of Hungary.
Orbán declared that he intends to “cooperate with Russia for many years”.
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