In a phone conversation, Viktor Orbán declared himself a "mouse" willing to help the "lion" Russia in the Ukrainian conflict.

In the autumn of last year, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had a phone conversation with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, in which he expressed his support for resolving the conflict in Ukraine. Orbán stated that he is "willing to do everything possible" to help, including facilitating a summit in Budapest.

The conversation, analyzed by Bloomberg, included references to a popular fable in Hungary about a rat that frees a lion caught in a net, after the lion had spared its life before, which made Putin laugh. Orbán emphasized that his friendship with Putin has strengthened over the years, mentioning that a network of friends can help confront adversaries. Putin appreciated Hungary's balanced position in the Ukrainian conflict. The main goal of the discussion was to organize a meeting between the US and Russia, which did not take place.

Additional details emerged following leaks related to contacts between the Hungarian foreign minister and the Russian one, including criticisms of EU sanctions. The European Commission reminded that Szijjártó had received warnings regarding the disclosure of sensitive information.