Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Moscow on November 28, describing the relationship between the two countries as reaching an unprecedented historical high. The leaders held three-hour discussions, focusing on energy cooperation and potential peace talks over Ukraine, as Washington pushes for a settlement.

Orban, often described as the EU’s most Kremlin-friendly leader, has repeatedly criticized Kyiv and obstructed aid, while deepening economic ties with Moscow amid the ongoing war. Accompanying the leaders were Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov.

Ahead of the trip, Orban highlighted energy security as a key reason for the visit, stating on Facebook that affordable winter energy prices in Hungary were the motivation for both his Washington and Moscow trips. In early November, Orban met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, where he obtained a temporary exemption from U.S. sanctions targeting Hungary’s Russian energy imports. Budapest has consistently resisted pressure to reduce dependence on Russian oil and gas, arguing that these imports ensure affordable energy for Hungarian consumers.

In Moscow, Orban reiterated his willingness to host peace talks on Ukraine, despite the cancellation of a planned summit in Budapest between Putin and Trump. The U.S. and Russian presidents had been scheduled to meet in Hungary’s capital to discuss a potential path toward ending the nearly four-year-long war. After preliminary talks between U.S. and Russian diplomats failed to produce an agreement, Trump announced the summit would be postponed.

Putin noted that it had been Trump who proposed Budapest as a venue during a phone call on October 16, saying that he welcomed the suggestion due to the good relations with Hungary and Orban. Orban had previously visited Moscow in July, one of the few European leaders to meet Putin amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Recently, Orban reportedly opposed continued EU support for Kyiv unless Brussels endorsed a 28-point peace plan backed by Trump, which imposes strict conditions on Ukraine. In response, Putin stated he would be ready to meet Trump in Hungary if the negotiations reached the point of using Budapest as a venue, expressing gratitude for Hungary’s willingness to assist.

The planned meeting in Budapest would have been Putin’s first visit to an EU capital since the full-scale war in Ukraine began, requiring overflight of other member states. Russia’s refusal to commit to an immediate ceasefire cast doubt on the summit, and an unnamed White House official indicated that talks between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio were no longer seen as necessary. On November 23, Trump officially announced the cancellation of the planned Budapest meeting with Putin.