The two European leaders most closely allied to Russian President Vladimir Putin before he launched his invasion of Ukraine won decisive election victories on pledges to stay out of the war.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has spent 12 years consolidating his grip on power and clashing with the European Union over democratic values, clinched a fourth consecutive term after leading his Fidesz party to a crushing victory over a broad opposition alliance.
In neighboring Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic won five more years as president and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party was in position to form a majority-backed government. Like Orban, Vucic has drawn criticism from his rivals and countries in the EU, which he wants Serbia to join, for suppressing political opposition. Both had until recently defied warnings from western partners by cultivating ties with Moscow and Beijing.