Putin and Orbán discuss Iran and energy

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Tuesday, the Kremlin said. The main topic of discussion was the escalation of tensions surrounding Iran and the Middle East after the US and Israel launched a military campaign.

The leaders also reviewed current Russian-Hungarian cooperation and the implementation of agreements reached during their meeting in Moscow on 28 November 2025.

According to the statement, Putin praised Hungary's support for a political and diplomatic solution to the war in Ukraine and its commitment to a 'balanced, sovereign' approach to international issues. During the call, they also touched on the fate of Hungarian citizens mobilised into the Ukrainian armed forces who later fell into Russian captivity.

Both sides also returned to the November talks, which Orbán described as 'very positive'. Afterwards, Budapest said long-term energy supplies from Russia were guaranteed.

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said Putin had confirmed the timely delivery of contractual volumes of oil and gas via Druzhba and TurkStream, and that the parties had agreed to accelerate construction of the Paks nuclear power plant, with work scheduled to begin in February.

(lud)