ISTANBUL
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said future negotiations between Moscow and Washington could lead to a possible summit in Hungary's capital Budapest.
“If our negotiations (with the US) lead to the use of the Budapest venue, I would be very happy about this and would like to thank you for your willingness to assist,” Putin said in opening remarks during a meeting in Moscow with Viktor Orban, Hungary’s prime minister.
Putin also thanked Orban for his willingness to host a Russia-US summit announced by US President Donald Trump last month, adding that the proposal to hold the cancelled talks in Budapest had come from his US counterpart.
Earlier, Orban announced in a video on US social media platform Facebook that he would visit Moscow, saying the goal of the talks is to “ensure Hungary's energy supply for the winter and next year, at an affordable price.”
He also mentioned that he visited Washington earlier this month to get an exemption for Hungary from US sanctions on Russian oil and gas.
Trump in October imposed US sanctions on Russia's two largest oil companies — Rosneft and Lukoil — and 34 of their subsidiaries in a bid to ramp up pressure on Moscow as he seeks to broker an elusive peace deal that would end the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Orban has often criticized Brussels and called for end to European funding for Ukraine. He supports a diplomatic solution to stop the war, and has backed Trump's current peace proposal.
Budapest was supposed to host a US-Russia summit to discuss ending the fighting in Ukraine, though the summit was later called off, with Trump saying he did not want a “wasted meeting.”
Bilateral ties
The Russian president also talked about Moscow-Budapest ties, saying they have developed an atmosphere that allows them to "speak frankly and discuss any issues," despite their differing views on certain issues, including in international affairs.
"This gives us the opportunity not only to discuss but also to seek solutions to any problem," the Russian president added.
He expressed regret over a decline in the trade turnover between the two countries, which Putin attributed to "external restrictions," but said they do have good prospects.
"This year, we've seen some growth — small, modest, but still — over 7%," Putin said, praising bilateral cooperation in the energy sector.
Orban, for his part, defined stable energy supplies from Russia as the "foundation of Hungary's energy security," saying Budapest values the "stability and predictability" of these supplies.
"Hungary is interested in maintaining an energy dialogue with your country, and today I would like to discuss this range of issues in detail," he added.
He said Hungary, as one of Ukraine's neighbors, is feeling the full effects of the ongoing war, noting that Hungary is interested in peace and hopes recently announced initiatives will lead to this.
"Our meeting today gives me the opportunity to confirm, Mr. president, that Hungary is ready to provide a platform for such negotiations and is ready to assist in the successful completion of this process," he added.