Putin, Orban to discuss energy during Hungarian PM’s visit to Moscow in September
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss energy cooperation. Their meeting is set for September 18, the Kremlin said.
Budapest has been a vocal critic of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline linking Russia and Germany, pointing out that it was hypocritical of the EU to allow the project to go forward while simultaneously halting the South Stream pipeline.
“We are not part of the project, we can’t resist it. But I can say there are unacceptable double standards,” Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peter Szijjarto, told Sputnik in June.
Szijjarto stressed that the former South Stream project, which could provide diversification of gas supplies for Central Europe was “killed” by the EU. “And now we don’t see any encouragement on the part of the European Commission. I can’t imagine any excuses or reasons the Commission could bring,” he added.
However, Orban and Putin enjoy warm relations – with the Russian leader having previously promised his Hungarian counterpart a free judo lesson.
Orban just wrapped up a headline-grabbing visit to Milan, where he met with Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini. During a joint press conference, the pair – both outspoken critics of the EU’s open-door migrant policy – took aim at French President Emmanuel Macron, whom Orban described as “the leader of pro-migration parties in Europe.”
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