Hungary’s Orbán Seeks More Russian Oil And Gas At Kremlin Talks With Putin

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on Friday, once again avoiding efforts by his European partners to isolate Moscow over their own country. invasion of neighboring Ukraine almost four years ago.

The visit to Moscow is the second visit since last year by Orbán, who is considered Putin’s closest partner among all EU leaders. Hungary is one of the few EU countries that continues to import large quantities of Russian fossil fuel, and Orbán has fiercely opposed efforts to separate the bloc’s 27 member states from Russia’s energy supplies.

“We have important areas of cooperation and we have not abandoned any area of ​​this cooperation, regardless of external pressures,” Orbán said. “Russian energy will form the basis of Hungary’s energy supply today and in the future.”

Orbán has long advocated an end to hostilities in Ukraine but has not outlined what this might mean for the country’s territorial integrity or future security. This stance frightened Hungary’s EU and NATO allies, who accused Russia of violating international law and threatening the security of Eastern European countries.

In the opening speech of the Kremlin talks, Putin drew attention to Obran’s “balanced stance” on the war in Ukraine. Just under four hours later, the Kremlin announced the end of the talks.

Orbán earlier this month went to washington He went to meet with US President Donald Trump and managed to get an exemption Sanctions imposed by the Trump administration Orbán said that the funding given to Russian energy companies Lukoil and Rosneft ensures the continuation of Hungary’s energy security.

Orbán said on Friday, after Hungary was exempt from US sanctions, “All we need now is the oil and gas we can get from the Russians. I will go there to provide Hungary’s energy supply at an affordable price both this winter and next year.”

Orbán has long argued that energy imports from Russia are indispensable for his country’s economy and that switching to fossil fuels obtained elsewhere would lead to a major economic crisis. immediate economic collapse – some claims critics disagreement. While the rest of Europe has slowly cut off Russian energy, Hungary has continued and even increased its imports and opposed the EU’s plan to eliminate all Russian fossil fuels by the end of 2027.

The Trump administration has said it sees signs that sanctions against major Russian oil producers will be lifted. turn the economic engine This allowed Moscow to continue financing its war in Ukraine. Russian oil prices fell as major Indian and Chinese buyers moved to comply with U.S. sanctions before they took effect last week, according to a senior Treasury Department official.

Meanwhile, Trump announced a plan last week To end the war that has been going on for about four years. 28-item recommendation He preferred Russia very muchHe encouraged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to quickly contact American negotiators. European leaders afraid to face their own future Russian aggressionThey sought to direct negotiations to address their concerns.

That’s his plan to end the war, Trump said Tuesday. “fine-tuned”, and he Sending ambassador Steve Witkoff to Russia meeting with Putin and Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll He will meet with Ukrainian officials. He said he might eventually meet with Putin and Zelenskyy, but not until further progress is made in negotiations.

Putin said on Thursday that US officials were expected in Moscow in the “first half” of next week and that “apparently” Witkoff will be there. According to the statement made by the Kremlin on Friday, the Russian President will go to India on December 4-5 to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday refused to announce the date of Witkoff’s visit, saying only that the Kremlin would announce it “in due time.” He said that the “main parameters” of the revised peace plan during the Ukraine-USA talks in Geneva last weekend were conveyed to Russia and that a “discussion” will be held in Moscow next week.

In other developments, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday that its air defenses intercepted 136 Ukrainian drones overnight over parts of Russia and annexed Crimea. Damage to cars, residences and houses was reported by authorities in the Rostov and Voronezh regions near the Ukrainian border.

However, the Ukrainian general staff said in a statement on Telegram that Ukrainian general staff forces hit an oil refinery in Saratov, Russia. The message stated that a series of explosions started the fire.

Ukraine also launched air strikes against Russian air defense units and drone depots and fuel depots in the occupied territories.

You can follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine