During his brief visit, Nawrocki was welcomed by Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok, who earlier travelled to Poland to attend Polish-Hungarian Friendship Day celebrations.
In Budapest, the two presidents held a private meeting at Sandor Palace, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
Nawrocki later spoke with Orban, who posted a photo from their meeting on X, writing: "Poles and Hungarians, two good friends. Welcome to Budapest, President Nawrocki."
Budapest’s central Chain Bridge was illuminated in the national colours of both countries to mark the occasion.
As part of the visit, Nawrocki laid a wreath at a monument to Józef Bem, a national hero of both Poland and Hungary.
Earlier in the day, Nawrocki and Sulyok marked Polish-Hungarian Friendship Day in Przemyśl, southeastern Poland. During that event, Nawrocki said that Poland’s friendship with Hungary remains strong despite political differences, adding that Poles "love Hungarians" but "hate" Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he described as a war criminal.
He also said the long-standing ties between the two nations should rise above short-term political tensions.
“The friendship between our nations has endured and will endure,” he said.
Celebrations of Polish-Hungarian Friendship Day are held alternately in the two countries. Last year's events took place in Kaposvar, Hungary, while in 2024 the two nations' leaders met in Stary Sącz, southern Poland.
The observance, marked annually on March 23, was established in 2007 following resolutions adopted by the Hungarian parliament and Poland’s legislature.
Nawrocki’s visit, announced several days earlier, drew criticism at home amid Hungary’s ongoing election campaign. Critics said the trip could be perceived as support for Orban and his Fidesz party, which is seeking to extend its 16-year rule.
Additional controversy followed media reports that Moscow had assisted Fidesz’s campaign and that Hungary’s top diplomat had long shared information from European Union meetings with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
The meeting with Orban was sharply criticised by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski.
Nawrocki told reporters on Monday that while Poland and Hungary share common ground on some issues within the European Union—including opposition to certain climate, migration and trade policies—they differ on others, "particularly regarding Russia."
Hungary, an EU and NATO member led by Orban, has maintained close ties with Moscow despite Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Hungary’s parliamentary elections are scheduled for April 12, when Orban is expected to face a strong challenge from opposition leader Peter Magyar.
Source: IAR, PAP