On Tuesday, the Kremlin expressed its contentment regarding the openness of Hungary’s newly elected Prime Minister P\u00e9ter Magyar towards practical discussions. This comes as Moscow adopts a cautious stance following the electoral defeat of Viktor Orb\u00e1n, its long-time ally in Europe.<\/p>\n
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov remarked, \u201cAt this moment, we are pleased to observe what seems to be Magyar’s readiness for pragmatic dialogue. We are also prepared to engage, and we will observe the actions taken by the new Hungarian administration moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Notably, the day prior, Moscow refrained from congratulating Magyar on his electoral success. Peskov emphasized that Hungary no longer holds any special privileges and is now categorized among \u201cunfriendly countries\u201d similar to the rest of Europe.<\/p>\n
The significant defeat of Orb\u00e1n has compelled Moscow to recognize the loss of an essential partner in Europe. \u201cHungary has made its choice, and we respect that decision,\u201d Peskov stated on Monday.<\/p>\n
In a strategic move, Moscow seems to be minimizing the implications of losing Hungary as a key ally, echoing its approach following the decline of Bashar al-Assad\u2019s regime. Previously, the Kremlin distanced itself from Assad to maintain influence with Syria’s emerging leadership.<\/p>\n
Peskov asserted, \u201cWe were never allies with Orb\u00e1n,\u201d while reiterating that Moscow remains open to fostering positive and mutually advantageous relations with Budapest.<\/p>\n
In his initial remarks on Monday, Magyar indicated that a severe break with Russia is unlikely. He conveyed that Hungary would continue a practical foreign policy, which includes ongoing purchases of Russian oil and a cautious stance regarding Ukraine, while also aiming to recalibrate ties with Western nations.<\/p>\n The incoming prime minister faces the challenge of managing a struggling economy that is heavily reliant on Russian energy, which constitutes over 80% of Hungary’s fossil gas and crude oil supply. This dependence is expected to provide Moscow with leverage over Hungary for the foreseeable future. \u201cRussia will remain a factor, and Hungary will persist. However, we will seek to diversify,\u201d Magyar noted.<\/p>\n He has made it clear that he does not intend to replicate Orb\u00e1n’s role in the relationship with Putin. Notably, he has unequivocally characterized Russia as the aggressor in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.<\/p>\n This stance signifies a marked shift from Orb\u00e1n\u2019s previous rhetoric regarding Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion. For years, Orb\u00e1n and Putin openly expressed mutual admiration and collaborated effectively both publicly and privately.<\/p>\n Since the onset of Russia’s military actions in 2022, Hungary has actively sought to dilute the EU’s response, lobbying against sanctions, obstructing aid to Kyiv, and recently vetoing a significant EU loan essential for Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression.<\/p>\n Leaked conversations revealed that Orb\u00e1n had previously expressed his servitude to the Russian leader, stating, \u201cI am at your service.\u201d Furthermore, Russian intelligence and state-affiliated media were reportedly involved in attempts to influence the electoral outcome in favor of Orb\u00e1n.<\/p>\n The political ramifications of Russia\u2019s diminished influence were palpable in Budapest, where celebrations included chants of \u201cRuszkik, haza\u201d (Russians, go home), a slogan originating from the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, which was revived by Orb\u00e1n’s opponents during the election campaign to protest his government’s close relationship with Moscow.<\/p>\n According to political analyst Alexander Baunov from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the results of the Hungarian election serve as a wake-up call for the Kremlin. He noted that Orb\u00e1n’s removal reinforces the perception among some hawkish factions that relying on Kremlin-friendly leaders in Europe\u2014where democratic systems can produce unexpected shifts in power\u2014poses a significant risk.<\/p>\n \u201cIn Moscow, the lesson drawn is that only genuinely authoritarian regimes can be counted on as reliable partners, and the hope that the West might someday emulate Russia is misguided,\u201d Baunov explained.<\/p>\n This cautionary insight extends beyond Hungary, as Baunov cautioned against overestimating figures like Donald Trump, who could just as easily vanish from the political scene as he emerged.<\/p>\n Some observers pointed to Trump\u2019s declining approval ratings in the U.S. and questioned whether the Kremlin has a contingency plan for a potential successor who may adopt a more adversarial stance toward Russia.<\/p>\n \u201cI wonder if there\u2019s a clever strategy in place for that,\u201d commented Fighterbomber, a Russian military aviation Telegram channel associated with the air force. \u201cIn Trump\u2019s place could come a conventional American president, ready to provide Ukraine with whatever weaponry it requires and offer extensive support.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite these uncertainties, the prevailing sentiment among Russia’s extensive network of commentators and pro-war bloggers is that Moscow can only rely on itself in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.<\/p>\n On Tuesday, the Kremlin expressed its contentment regarding the openness of Hungary’s newly elected Prime Minister P\u00e9ter Magyar towards practical discussions. This comes as Moscow adopts a cautious stance following the electoral defeat of Viktor Orb\u00e1n, its long-time ally in Europe. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov remarked, \u201cAt this moment, we are pleased to observe what […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9394,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[117,302,1994,2165,88,304,1392,571],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9395","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uk-europe","category-uk-hungary","category-uk-p-ter-magyar","category-uk-robert-fico","category-uk","category-uk-viktor-orb-n","category-uk-vladimir-putin","category-uk-world-news"],"yoast_head":"\n