BUDAPEST, January 10. /TASS/. The Russian Embassy in Hungary considers remarks about Russian President Vladimir Putin made by US Ambassador to Budapest David Pressman inadmissible and outrageous and Russian diplomats suggested that the US envoy should make up for his lack of professionalism and read a book by former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

"In a public speech on January 6 this year, US Ambassador to Hungary D. Pressman made unacceptable remarks about the President of the Russian Federation," according to the embassy’s commentary posted on its Telegram channel on Tuesday. It noted that "commenting on the personality of a foreign Head of State on behalf of a US official whose authority is limited to the sphere of bilateral Hungarian-American relations is an outrageous violation of basic diplomatic protocol and practice."

The Russian Embassy suggested that Pressman "make up for the lack of professionalism in the field of diplomacy" and "consult the famous book by the ‘patriarch’ of American foreign policy, Henry Kissinger, which is conveniently entitled Diplomacy." The diplomats even provided the address of a Hungarian on-line store where this book can be purchased.

According to a statement on the website of the US Embassy to Budapest, on January 6, Pressman attended a public event at one of Budapest churches dedicated to the 45th anniversary of the return of the Hungarian Holy Crown to Hungary from the US. This artifact which is considered to be one of the main symbols of Hungary's statehood ended up in the US at the end of World War Two, was held at Fort Knox alongside the US’ gold reserves and was returned to Hungary only in 1978. In his speech, the American diplomat mentioned the Ukrainian conflict and called Putin "a holdover from a time that most of the world has tried to move beyond" who allegedly started a war.