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Russia ready to work with any government in Hungary, but values Orban’s leadership — Putin

Parliamentary elections in Hungary will be held in April

MOSCOW, February 1. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said the Hungarian government led by Viktor Orban did a lot to develop Russian-Hungarian relations and Moscow hopes the cooperation to continue.

Hungary is set to hold parliamentary elections in April.

"We usually say on occasions like this, when our partners are holding elections soon, that we will work with any government that will be elected," Putin said at a meeting with Orban. "But I have to mention your work with respect to Russia has resulted in a lot of achievements in the interests of the Hungarian people and in the interests of Russia."

"I hope this mutual work will be continued," he went on to say.

The Hungarian prime minister said he wasn’t planning to leave. "There are elections in April. I’m going to run and win," he said. "That’s why I have a reasonable assumption that you and I will cooperate for many years to come."

Orban said he first met with Putin 13 years ago. "That a lot of time," he said. "Practically everybody who used to be a colleague of mine in running an EU country is not a colleague anymore."

"Looks like you and I have the most significant memory about the common past of Russia and the EU," he went on to say.