The Russian President will come to Hungary in response to a working visit paid by Orbán last year. Putin’s visit comes shortly after the visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel with Orbán, which is scheduled for February 2.
Orbán said earlier that he does not expect Merkel to be critical of Hungary. In connection with Putin’s visit and the Ukraine crisis, Orbán said that it is in Hungary’s best interest to “keep a distance from conflicts that are not our conflicts”.
Putin visited Hungary in 2006 during the rule of Socialist Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány, whose government was in support of the South Stream project, while Orbán, then in the opposition, referred to the act as “high-treason”, according to Népszava.



