Russian President Vladimir Putin has once again summoned Viktor Orban to Moscow to give personal orders to the Hungarian prime minister, said Sandor Ronay, deputy chairman of the opposition Democratic Coalition, commenting on Orban's visit to Russia today, the Hungarian news agency MTI reported, quoted by BTA.
Ronaay said during a press conference that it was a “obvious lie“ that Orban had discussed energy issues with Putin, “since there was nothing left to discuss“. He added that the government pays for “extremely expensive“ Russian oil and gas without objection, and that the Russian president “finances his war against Ukraine“ with this money.
“The latest visit to Moscow proves that Orban is not the prime minister of an independent Hungary, but Putin's poodle“, he said. “Russia is currently an enemy of the European Union with drones, secret agents and hackers who attack member states, while certain European politicians bought by Russia are hindering decision-making in the union“, Ronay said.“Russian President Vladimir Putin personally saw his guest - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban - to his car as he left the Kremlin after the end of their negotiations, TASS reported, BTA reports.
The meeting between the two leaders took place at the Senate Palace, Putin's residence in the Kremlin, and lasted almost four hours. Putin and Orban shook hands at the entrance to the Senate Palace, exchanged a few words, after which the Hungarian leader got into the Russian "Aurus" limousine prepared for him. This is the 13th meeting between the two leaders and the third since the start of the war in Ukraine, TASS recalls. In addition, the two leaders are actively in contact by phone.
In the first 10 months of this year, Russia has supplied Hungary with nearly 5.4 billion cubic meters of gas, and last year 8.6 billion cubic meters. This was stated by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak in a statement to journalist Pavel Zarubin, published on his channel in "Telegram".
"Last year, significant supplies of 8.6 billion cubic meters of gas were made. In the first 10 months of this year, we already have 5.4 billion cubic meters, and these are also stable supplies. And here Hungary, of course, enjoys a competitive advantage because it does not buy LNG, but long-term pipeline supplies of natural gas from Russia," the deputy prime minister said.
Novak added that Hungary also continues to import oil from Russia for its refinery. "An exception was made for Hungary by the European Union at the time, and we continue to work with this country for oil supplies," the Russian deputy prime minister added.
The Russian side continues work on the project to build the Paks-2 nuclear power plant in Hungary and is preparing for an important stage - pouring the first concrete next spring. This was announced by the general director of the Russian corporation Rosatom, Alexei Likhachev, quoted by TASS.
The head of Rosatom drew attention to the sustainability of the Paks-2 project to external pressure, noting that it is the "most sanctioned" Hungarian project. "Life has tested the commitment of our Hungarian partners to this project," Likhachev noted and stressed that the Russian side has no doubts about its successful implementation.