Hungarian Foreign Minister says she is ready to meet with Lavrov

Budapest is open to a meeting with Moscow at the level of foreign ministers, if they have something to discuss. This was announced on May 22 by the head of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Anita Orban.

"Russia is an important regional player with whom we strive for pragmatic relations. If there is something to discuss at the level of foreign ministers, such a meeting will definitely take place. Why not?" she said in an interview with the Hungarian portal Valasz Online.

Orban added that despite summoning the Russian ambassador in the first days of his inauguration, he did not consider it necessary to cut off diplomatic channels with Russia. According to her, everything happened within the framework of normal diplomatic procedures.

"Russia is ready to continue pragmatic cooperation with Hungary"

Ambassador to Budapest Evgeny Stanislavov — about the Paks-2 project and the first contacts with the new government of the country

Orban said on May 11 that the new Hungarian government intends to build relations with Russia on a pragmatic basis. The statement was made at a meeting of the Hungarian Parliament's National security commission. Earlier, speaking at the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Orban called Russia an important economic partner of the country.

At the same time, she said that the new Hungarian government intends to reduce dependence on Russia in the energy sector, but does not plan to abandon Russian oil and gas supplies in the near future.