Putin reacted on PM Orbán’s devastating defeat – surprising turn: we won’t congratulate!

The Kremlin said Monday that the people of Hungary have made their choice and that Moscow respects the outcome of the country’s parliamentary election, in which opposition leader Péter Magyar defeated incumbent Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

“Hungary has made its choice. We respect that choice,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, referring to Sunday’s vote. Peskov said Russia remains interested in maintaining good relations with Hungary, as with other European countries, and noted statements indicating a willingness to engage in dialogue.

“We look forward to continuing our very pragmatic contacts with the new Hungarian leadership,” he said. Peskov also argued that the result of the election in Hungary will not have an impact on the course of the Russia-Ukraine war, and that the EU’s decision to release €90 billion (over $105 billion) for Ukraine will be made primarily by Brussels.

Update: We won’t congratulate!

The Kremlin said Monday it will not congratulate Hungary’s prime minister-elect, Péter Magyar, on his election victory following a parliamentary vote held a day earlier.

“We don’t send congratulations to unfriendly countries. And Hungary is an unfriendly country, it supports sanctions against us,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in remarks to the Life news website.

Peskov added that Moscow had been in dialogue with outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Devastating defeat

Hungary’s opposition Tisza Party won 69.35% of votes and 138 seats with 98.96% of ballots counted following a parliamentary vote held on Sunday, according to data from the country’s National Election Office.

Former Hungarian national security officer warns of possible Russian-linked provocation on election day

Orbán conceded defeat on the same day, saying: “We will serve our nation from the opposition,” marking the end of his 16-year tenure in office.

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Magyar said at an international press conference that he would take Putin’s call, but would tell him to stop the massacre in Ukraine because Russia is only losing with it.

Before, Péter Magyar talked about the necessity of starting a new cooperation with Putin’s Russia.