This media outlet reported that it has obtained a transcript from the Hungarian government of a conversation between Orbán and Putin on October 17, in which Orbán allegedly compared their relationship to that of a mouse standing ready to help the Russian lion whenever needed. "Yesterday, our friendship reached such a high level that I can help in every way. In everything I can be of assistance, I am at your disposal," Orbán reportedly told Putin during the conversation. To further emphasize his message, Orbán allegedly referenced one of Aesop's fables in which a mouse, whose life was previously spared by a lion, later frees that same lion when it is caught in a trap by hunters. This remark reportedly elicited laughter from Putin, the transcript suggests. Orbán, a right-wing populist seeking to transform Hungary into what he calls an illiberal democracy, is considered the EU leader most favorable to Moscow, which is why some critics call him Putin's Trojan horse. The latest discovery further intensifies questions that have been raised in recent weeks about how far the U.S. and Russia are willing to go to bolster Orbán as he lags in the polls. As Hungarians prepare for elections, most polls show Orbán facing his strongest opponent yet in Péter Magyar, a former high-ranking member of Orbán's Fidesz party, opening the possibility that Orbán could be ousted after 16 years in power. This possibility has mobilized right-wing leaders worldwide, bringing the elections in this country into the global spotlight.