Kremlin recalibrates after Orbán’s defeat, courting pragmatic Hungary

The Kremlin welcomed Hungary’s new prime minister Péter Magyar as open to pragmatic dialogue and signaled a wait‑and‑see approach after Viktor Orbán’s defeat, downgrading Hungary’s special status while Moscow seeks to maintain leverage through continued energy ties and diversified relations; Magyar has signaled a pragmatic policy, preserving energy imports from Russia and a cautious stance on Ukraine, indicating Moscow’s influence remains but will be constrained as Hungary rebalances toward the West.