Viktor Orbán began his day long before Budapest woke up.
Just after four in the morning, he slipped into the airport, boarded his plane, and set off on a route that Hungarian media noted looked a bit unusual.
The prime minister didn’t hide what he was up to, though.
Before climbing the steps to his aircraft, he told reporters he was on his way to talk energy with Vladimir Putin—specifically, Hungary’s electricity supply.
And when pressed about whether the war in Ukraine would come up, he didn’t mince words: “We will hardly be able to avoid it.”
Touchdown in Moscow
By early afternoon Moscow time, Orbán’s plane had touched down at Vnukovo Airport.
The Hungarian delegation moved quickly from the tarmac toward a series of meetings in the Russian capital.
The Kremlin, as always, was already gearing up for the visit.
Roads near Tverskaya Street were shut briefly around midday as motorcades passed, with traffic flowing again minutes later.
And right on schedule—13:09 by the Moscow clock—the Hungarian leader reached the Kremlin.
Inside the Kremlin’s Halls
Shortly after his arrival, the Kremlin’s official Telegram channel released a clip showing the Russian officials waiting to greet him.
Familiar faces were present: Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, longtime presidential aide Yury Ushakov, and Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak.
From Hungary’s side, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó accompanied Orbán, underscoring how tightly energy and diplomacy are intertwined in this visit.
Energy First, Everything Else After
Even before landing, Orbán had already outlined the point of the trip on X.
In his words, Hungary’s energy stability still leans heavily on Russian oil and gas—a reality that hasn’t changed, even under the pressure of international sanctions.
He reminded followers that earlier this month, he worked out an understanding with Washington to ensure Hungary’s energy imports wouldn’t get caught up in wider restrictions.
A Mission of Guarantees
Orbán framed the trip as a practical one: secure uninterrupted energy for the coming winter and beyond.
“Now we need to take the next step,” he wrote. Winter is looming, and he made clear that he isn’t taking chances.
His message was blunt: reliable, affordable supply is the goal, and Moscow is central to achieving it.
A Return Not Made Since 2024
This is Orbán’s first appearance in Moscow since the summer of 2024, when he visited soon after stopping in Kyiv.
At the time, Hungary held the EU’s rotating presidency, and he branded that earlier trip a “peace mission.”
Back then, both he and Putin discussed the long, complicated path toward easing the conflict in Ukraine.
Today’s meeting may carry a different focus, but the shadows of that conflict still hang in the air—and Orbán himself admitted they won’t be able to sidestep it.
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