Hungary Continues Courting Russia and Europe

German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Budapest on Feb. 2, and Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to arrive in Hungary on Feb. 17. The visits illustrate Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's desire to strike a balance between the European Union and Russia. Orban recently has made efforts to rebuild relations with some Western governments while also seeking stronger cooperation with Moscow. Hungary's strategy is to use its geographic position on NATO's eastern edge, its power to veto EU sanctions, and its ability to send or halt reverse natural gas flows to Ukraine in order to elicit concessions from both sides.