Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban shake hands during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on November 28, 2025. AFP
"I know your balanced position on the Ukrainian issue," Putin told Orban, who consistently tries to block tougher sanctions against Moscow, has criticised aid to Ukraine, and continues to rely on Russian energy.
For his part, Orban vowed that Russia will remain a key energy supplier for his country, which faces EU and US pressure to wane off Russian energy.
"I would like to reiterate that energy supplies from Russia form the basis of Hungary's energy supply now and will remain so in the future" the nationalist leader said, sitting alongside Russian President.
The nationalist leader claimed Hungary has the lowest energy price in Europe thanks to its access to Russian gas and oil, which is "cheap relative to international price levels".
Since returning to power in 2010, Orban has met Putin 15 times. This is their fourth meeting since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Orban often irritates other EU leaders by breaking the bloc's unity on the conflict, stymieing tougher sanctions on Moscow and frustrating Kyiv's bid for membership.
Last year Orban infuriated the leaders of the 27-nation bloc by travelling to Moscow on a self-styled "peace mission" just days after Hungary took up EU rotating presidency.
Orban -- who is facing an election next year expected to be a tight battle -- visited his "dear friend" US President Donald Trump at the White House earlier this month.
He is said to have secured a one-year exemption from sanctions for buying Russian oil and gas, however Washington is yet to publish the official waiver.
Trump slapped sanctions on Moscow's two largest oil companies in October after losing patience with Putin over his refusal to end the war in Ukraine.
Orban was set to host a planned US-Russia summit in Budapest on the Ukraine war, but the meeting was cancelled by Trump before a date was set.
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