During the call, Orbán offered to help “resolve” the war against Ukraine by organizing a summit in Budapest.
“Yesterday our friendship rose to such a high level that I can help in any way. In any matter where I can be of assistance, I am at your service,” Orban said.
He also referenced an Aesop’s fable popular in Hungary, in which a mouse frees a lion caught in a net after the lion had earlier spared the rodent’s life. According to the transcript, Putin laughed at the remark.
The brief phone call took place around midday on October 17 and had not previously been reported in detail. It offers further evidence that Hungary’s policy toward Russia is shaped at the highest levels of government.
Much of the conversation consisted of mutual compliments between the two leaders, as well as praise for U.S. President Donald Trump. Both men had spoken with Trump the previous day about the possibility of holding a summit in Budapest, though the meeting ultimately did not take place.
Orbán also noted that his friendly relationship with Putin had strengthened since their first meetings in 2009 in St. Petersburg, the Russian dictator’s hometown.
“The more friends we gain, the more opportunities we have to counter our adversaries,” Orbán said, adding that he regretted not being able to meet Putin in person as frequently as before the pandemic.
According to the transcript, Putin expressed admiration for Hungary’s “independent and flexible” stance on Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“It is unclear to us why such a balanced, moderate position meets only objections,” Putin said.
Earlier, journalists released an audio recording of a conversation between Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The outlet VSquare published the recording amid a scandal over sharing with Moscow details from closed-door European Union meetings.