Putin meets Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán in first meeting with EU leader since invasion of Ukraine

By JUSTIN SPIKE and KEN MORITSUGU
Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has held talks with Vladimir Putin, becoming the first leader of a European Union nation to meet in person with the Russian president since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. The two leaders met in Beijing on Tuesday ahead of an international forum on one of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s signature policies, the Belt and Road Initiative. Their meeting, which focused on Hungary’s access to Russian energy, marked the end of nearly 20 months in which Western leaders eschewed contact with Putin over his invasion of Ukraine. Orbán told Putin, “Hungary never wanted to confront Russia, Hungary always has been eager to expand contacts.” He said their ties have suffered because of EU sanctions against Moscow.