Media learn why Orbán will fly to Putin
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will travel to Moscow, likely on November 28, as part of a large delegation, with energy issues topping the agenda.
According to VSquare, Hungary’s partners in NATO and the European Union were unaware of Orbán’s intention to visit Russia, and the trip was likely not coordinated with the United States.
VSquare’s sources say that the main purpose of Orbán’s visit is to discuss energy matters, particularly in light of the U.S. decision to grant Hungary a one-year exemption from sanctions on Russian oil and gas. The delegation will include Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Construction and Transport János Lázár, and National Security Adviser Marcell Bíró.
Nuclear issues will also be raised, as Westinghouse will join the Russian-built Paks nuclear power plant in Hungary as a fuel supplier. Another key topic of the Hungarian-Russian negotiations will be the potential purchase by the Hungarian oil company MOL of Gazprom’s stake in the Serbian company NIS, which could help MOL avoid U.S. sanctions.
“Orbán will likely present this mission to Moscow as a step toward reviving the short-lived idea of a ‘peace summit’ in Budapest with the participation of Trump and Putin,” VSquare reports. At the same time, one European source believes the meeting has been planned for a long time and is simply a continuation of Orbán’s tradition of meeting with Putin annually.
