Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday indicated a willingness for future negotiations between Moscow and Washington that could potentially culminate in a summit held in Budapest, Hungary. During a meeting in Moscow with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Putin expressed his appreciation for Orban's readiness to host a Russia-US summit, a notion previously mentioned by US President Donald Trump.

According to Anadolu Agency, Orban had earlier communicated via a video on a US social media platform that his visit to Moscow aimed to secure Hungary's energy supply at an affordable cost for the upcoming winter and next year. He also revealed his recent trip to Washington, where he sought exemptions for Hungary from US sanctions imposed on Russian oil and gas.

The US sanctions, introduced by Trump in October, targeted Russia's largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, along with their subsidiaries, as part of efforts to pressure Moscow into a peace deal to resolve the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Orban, a critic of Brussels, has advocated for a diplomatic resolution to the war and supported Trump's peace proposal.

The planned US-Russia summit in Budapest, intended to address the conflict, was ultimately canceled, with Trump citing concerns about it being a "wasted meeting."

During the discussions, Putin highlighted the positive atmosphere in Moscow-Budapest relations, allowing open dialogue on various issues despite differing views. He acknowledged a decline in trade turnover between the two countries due to "external restrictions" but noted a modest growth of over 7% this year, emphasizing the importance of energy cooperation.

Orban reiterated Hungary's reliance on stable energy supplies from Russia as crucial for its energy security and expressed a desire to maintain an ongoing energy dialogue. He also emphasized Hungary's interest in a peaceful resolution to the conflict, urging support for negotiation initiatives.

In conclusion, Orban confirmed Hungary's willingness to provide a platform for negotiations and assist in achieving a successful resolution, further solidifying Hungary's role in facilitating diplomatic efforts.