The surprising dialogue between the head of the Kremlin and the Prime Minister of Hungary will probably cause dissatisfaction in the EU. Russian propaganda immediately exploited the meeting.
Russian-Hungarian handshakes in Beijing: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán unexpectedly held a bilateral meeting in Beijing. Both politicians are guests at the Chinese Silk Road summit.
The meeting was a propaganda success for the Kremlin, whose state television immediately published excerpts of the meeting. It is important for isolated Russia to show that it still has allies in Europe and that the EU is not united in its sanctions policy. Politicians like Viktor Orbán, who undermine European unity, have the right moment.
Orbán told Putin that Hungary never wanted to be an opponent of Russia; on the contrary, she has always been interested in close contacts. Today’s meeting is the 13th between Orbán and Putin, said the Hungarian prime minister. “You know, Hungary, Mr President, (…) we are trying to save what can be saved”, said Orbán, referring to the bilateral relationship. He thanked the Russian atomic energy authority Rosatom and state gas supplier Gazprom for their cooperation.
Putin, in turn, explained that in the current geopolitical situation it is not easy to maintain contacts with foreign countries. However, “relations with many European countries are preserved and continue to develop. One of these countries is Hungary.” It was Putin’s second trip abroad since the International Criminal Court issued the arrest warrant for the Kremlin chief. Putin is being held accountable for his role in the abduction of Ukrainian children from the war zone. The previous week, the head of the Kremlin was a guest in Kyrgyzstan.
On the verge of a heart attack
Putin’s personal correspondent on state television, Pavel Zarubin, had previously reported on Telegram about the meeting between the two politicians. According to Sarubin, news of the bilateral meeting will bring “some European politicians to the brink of a heart attack”. Behind Sarubin you can see the Hungarian motorcade stopped in front of the gates of Putin’s residence in Beijing. (that)