2 February 2017: Putin official visit to Hungary
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Hungary to discuss prospective energy projects with its leader Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Speaking after the talks, Orban deplored the West’s “anti- Russian policies,” which he said hurt Hungary’s trade with Russia and cost some $6.7 billion in lost export opportunities. Putin last visited Hungary in February 2015, and Orban travelled to Moscow a year ago. Then and now their discussions focused on long-term supplies of Russian natural gas to Hungary and a deal to expand Hungary’s Soviet-built nuclear power plant with a 10 billion-euro loan from Russia. Both projects, however, are still far from being implemented.
With the new administration, European leaders are trying to balance pressures from East and West. Orban has continued his tradition of being deeply critical of the EU and general warm towards Russia. However in recent polls only 6% of the Hungarian population saw themselves as Eastern, with the majority seeing themselves as European. Viktor Orban will have to negotiate domestic pressures in cementing his relationship with Putin, especially after losing a referendum on migration quotas last year.
