User:Gonsdejaasc/Hungary–Russia relations

Hungary and the Russian Federation
Since 1991, Hungarian-Russian relations have improved. This improvement has increased in part due to the election of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in 2010 and the announcement of his foreign relations plan, the "Eastern Opening Policy." Created in opposition to Hungary's Western coalitions such as the European Union, NATO, and the United Nations, the Eastern Opening plan heavily prioritized Russia as a viable ally, and efforts were taken to secure that tight relationship throughout 2013-2014. One major proof of this is the bilateral agreement signed by the two nations over the nuclear plant Paks in Hungary, which calls into the question the risk of Hungary becoming financially dependent on Russia for more than a few decades.

Following the Russian military intervention in Ukraine in 2014, Orbán rejected the Russian sanctions despite European Union pressure. This has led outside officials in the EU and NATO to regard Hungary as a "Trojan Horse", acting ultimately in the interests of Russia.

In 2017, Vladimir Putin visited Budapest to meet with Orbán to discuss bilateral ties. As a response to the reaction to the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in the United Kingdom, in April 2018, one Hungarian embassy staffer was expelled from Russia. In May 2019, concerned over the tightening relations between Hungary, Russia, and also China, the Trump administration hosted Orban in D.C, raising criticism from the EU and UN.