Camilla Jessen
Live broadcast reveals serious mistakes in Orbán–Putin dialogue.
A routine diplomatic photo-op between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Russian President Vladimir Putin has ignited controversy after Hungarian media uncovered major translation errors during their televised remarks.
The mistakes, first reported by Telex and TVP World, raised concerns that Orbán may have received a distorted version of Putin’s statements at a sensitive moment in EU–Russia relations.
The meeting was held in Moscow on Friday. It came just days before renewed U.S.–Russia discussions on Washington’s proposed plan to end the war in Ukraine.
Mistranslations caught on camera
Protocol requires leaders to bring their own interpreters, both for accuracy and trust. But Orbán’s interpreter appeared to miss or alter several of Putin’s key comments.
According to Telex, Putin began by acknowledging that Russian-Hungarian ties have endured “regardless of the complexity of the current situation.”
The interpreter condensed this to a generic line about relations “continuing to develop,” omitting Putin’s emphasis on navigating difficult circumstances.
Putin then noted that both countries had lived through “different periods” and that current relations were based on “pragmatism” and “friendship.”
The interpreter instead told Orbán: “We’ve known each other for a long time… I’m glad you came.”
Reversed meaning on foreign policy
The most serious misinterpretation came when Putin said: “Our views on certain issues, including international affairs, do not necessarily converge.”
The interpreter rendered this as: “Our cooperation at the international level is also good,” reversing the meaning entirely and giving the impression of alignment where Putin had stressed divergence.
When Putin spoke about Ukraine, reduced bilateral trade, and “deep cooperation in the energy sector,”
Orbán heard only a brief summary referencing international politics and “visible growth,” with no mention of specific figures Putin cited.
Government reaction
Hungarian ministries did not comment on why the interpreter was chosen, but government sources told domestic media the translator had “misheard” and “had a bad day.”
Analysts cited by Daily News Hungary warned that such inaccuracies could limit Hungary’s ability to respond to Moscow’s subtler positions during negotiations.
Sources: Telex; TVP World; Daily News Hungary, Digi24
