Hungary has declared its desire for pragmatic relations with Russia

The new Hungarian government intends to build relations with Russia on a pragmatic basis. This was stated by the candidate for the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the country, Anita Orban, at a briefing broadcast by the HVG portal.

"We will strive for pragmatic relations based on sovereignty and respect for the interests of both sides," she said, answering a question about future dialogue with Moscow.

The statement was made at a meeting of the Hungarian Parliament's National security commission. Earlier, speaking at the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Orban called Russia an important economic partner of the country.

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Earlier in the day, Orban said that the new Hungarian government intends to reduce its dependence on Russia in the energy sector, but does not plan to abandon Russian oil and gas supplies in the near future. She added that the country would not abandon Russian energy sources, but intended to diversify its sources of supply.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin said on April 23 that Moscow would maintain normal relations with Budapest, despite the change of the Hungarian government. The Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation noted that Budapest pursues a pragmatic policy and can change positions on certain issues. According to him, Hungary depends on a number of factors, including the supply of Russian energy resources and cooperation in the field of nuclear energy.