Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has met President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, days before Russia holds talks on a US push to end the war in Ukraine.
Orban is seen as one of Putin's closest allies in Europe and he has consistently angered his Nato and EU allies by undermining solidarity against Russia.
"We are aware of your balanced position on the situation in Ukraine," Putin told Orban in remarks carried by Russian state TV.
Putin also thanked the Hungarian prime minister for proposing Budapest as a potential venue for a Russia-US summit with President Donald Trump.
"Trump immediately said: ''We have good relations with Hungary, you have good relations with Viktor, and I do too, so I suggest this option.' Of course, we happily agreed," Putin said.
