The Kremlin is already preparing for Orban's defeat. He plans to present it as an EU conspiracy
— Initially, there was hope that Orban and his associates would be able to reverse the course of events and win [wybory] from party lists. Then victory in single-member districts became the preferred scenario, says one of the sources. – Now [na Kremlu] they admit that this may also fail, the interlocutor adds.
According to information from Meduza, the Kremlin is preparing to present Orban's possible defeat in the state-controlled media as a “color revolution” orchestrated by the European Union.
The Kremlin leader, Vladimir Putin, is to be told that Orban and his team are to blame for the defeat. “Even with our support, they couldn't do anything,” says one source.
Earlier, the Financial Times and The Washington Post reported that Russia is actively trying to help Viktor Orban's party win the elections. In particular, according to these media, the Putin administration has approved a plan to improve Fidesz's ratings.
This strategy allegedly included promoting Orban as a “strong leader with friends around the world” and carrying out “information attacks” against his main rival, the Tisza party led by Peter Magyar, who was allegedly portrayed as an “EU puppet”.
One of Meduza's sources noted that while Orban's campaign was “obviously not managed by the Putin administration,” there was some “help” on social media.
According to polls presented by POLITICO as of March 30, 39 percent Hungarians supported Orban's party, compared with 48 percent. for Magyar's party, with a significant portion of voters remaining undecided.
US President Donald Trump publicly supported Orban, calling him a “true friend, warrior and winner.” He also said that relations between Washington and Budapest “have reached a new level.”
“Mouse” helping “lion”
The visit took place when Bloomberg revealed the content of the conversation, which showed that Orban offered support to Putin. In a previously unpublished telephone conversation, Orban said he was ready to help the Russian president “in any way possible.” comparing himself to a “mouse” helping a “lion”.
— Yesterday our friendship grew to such a level that I can help in any way I can, Orban said. – I am available in any matter where I can be of help – he assured.
During the conversation, Orban also offered help in organizing a possible summit between Russia and the United States in Budapest. The proposal was discussed with Trump but did not materialize. In turn, according to the transcript, Putin praised Hungary's “independent and flexible” position on Russia's war against Ukraine.
Recent reports also point to close communication between Hungarian and Russian officials on EU-related matters, including sanctions policy.
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto in Moscow, March 4, 2026.Grigory SYSOYEV / POOL / AFP / AFP
Ismailova was removed from the EU sanctions list seven months later, along with Vyacheslav Moshe Kantor and Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev.
According to an EU diplomat quoted by investigative journalism platform Vsquare Hungary They regularly submit extensive applications to remove people from sanctions lists and threaten to block broader sanctions packages to obtain concessions.
In a separate June 30, 2025 telephone conversation with Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin, Szijjarto opposed EU energy sanctions and said that Hungary and Slovakia blocked the EU's 18th package of sanctions to maintain access to Russian oil and gas.
The recordings also show that Szijjarto passed on confidential information from EU discussions to Moscow.
Szijjarto also said he was working to block the sanctions package, claiming has already helped remove 72 of the 128 entities subject to restrictionsand asked Moscow for help in formulating arguments to influence EU decisions.
In addition, a few days after Szijjarto's meeting with Putin, the Hungarian services detained two armored vehicles belonging to the Ukrainian state-owned Oshchadbank, which were transporting cash through Hungarian territory.
