Putin's Significant Political Triumph Largely Overlooked by Many

 

Western Observers Riled by Putin's Handshake with Viktor Orbán

In 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin's international political achievements were modest, yet notable. Among them was a significant, albeit overlooked moment: a candid snapshot capturing his encounter with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

A roadblock for Kyiv in Europe

Orbán said no to giving weapons to Ukraine and stopped them from coming into Hungary from Ukraine. He also said he might say no to rules that would punish Moscow, but in the end, he agreed to them.

Why would Orbán support Putin?

However, Orbán’s support for Russia might have a lot more to do with how he and Putin govern their countries rather than the Hungarian Prime Minister’s concerns about ethnic Hungarian language rights in Ukraine.