Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told Russian President Vladimir Putin he was willing to “help in any way” during a phone call on 17 October, according to a transcript reviewed by Bloomberg.
Orbán said he would go to great lengths to assist Putin, including offering to host a potential summit in Budapest aimed at addressing the war in Ukraine. “In any matter where I can be of assistance, I am at your service,” he said.
To illustrate his point, Orbán referred to an Aesop fable in which a mouse frees a trapped lion that had earlier spared its life. The remark reportedly drew laughter from Putin and underscored the tone of the exchange.
The call adds to scrutiny of Hungary’s relationship with Russia, particularly as the country approaches elections on Sunday (12 April). Orbán has maintained an “independent” stance on the Ukraine war, opposing EU military aid to Ukraine and continuing energy ties with Moscow.
According to the transcript, both leaders also expressed admiration for US President Donald Trump and discussed the possibility of Hungary hosting a future US-Russia meeting, although no such summit materialised.
The conversation suggests that Hungary’s Russia policy is driven at the highest political level.
Source: commonspace.eu with Bloomberg
