BUDAPEST: The United States is concerned about Hungary’s relationship with Russia, and finds Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s decision to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin “troubling”, the US Embassy in Budapest said on Friday.

Orban held a bilateral meeting with Putin on Tuesday on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing. He is the only EU leader to attend the forum or to maintain close ties with Putin since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

“The United States is concerned about Hungarys relationship with Russia,” US Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman said in a statement.

Earlier this week, Pressman said in a post on X: “Hungary’s leader chooses to stand with a man whose forces are responsible for crimes against humanity in Ukraine, and alone among our Allies.” Hungary, which is also a Nato member, has opposed many EU initiatives to support Ukraine in resisting Moscow’s forces and gets most of its crude oil and gas from Russia.

Orban told Putin during their meeting in Beijing that Hungary never wanted to oppose Russia and was trying to salvage bilateral contacts.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2023