Putin visits his EU friend, Hungary's Orban, amid Ukraine tension

Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a controversial visit to Budapest on Tuesday, showing the world he still has a friend in Europe in Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban despite East-West tension over Ukraine. After holding talks in the Hungarian capital, the two leaders announced they had reached a "political agreement" on a new flexible long-term contract for Russian gas to reach Hungary, to replace a deal that expires this year. "We value our reputation as a reliable supplier of energy resources in Europe and in Hungary," said Putin, who has been shunned by other European leaders in recent months due to events in Ukraine and rights issues in Russia.

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