Party leader Heinz-Christian Strache and the FPO’s recently defeated presidential candidate Norbert Hofer attended the signing ceremony in Moscow, as did officials of Putin’s United Russia party including Pyotr Tolstoy, a deputy chairman of the lower house of parliament.

Heinz-Christian Strache, reported the signing of the agreement with United Russia, Mr. Putin’s party, on Monday on his Facebook page, where he also disclosed that he had visited General Flynn a few weeks ago in Trump Tower in New York.

“Internationally, the Freedom Party continues to gain in influence,” wrote Mr. Strache, a dental technician who has led the party since 2005.

A spokesman for the FPO - which this year achieved a record election score but failed to secure the Austrian presidency - said he did not know the deal’s details.

“It is particularly important to Strache that the U.S. and Russia stand shoulder to shoulder,” the statement added, saying that could improve the situations in Syria and Crimea and lead to a lifting of sanctions on Russia.

“The FPO acts as a neutral and reliable intermediary and partner in promoting peace!” it said.

United Russia said on its website that it had agreed with the Freedom party to mutual consultation, trade experiences and hold joint events over a five-year period.

“In today’s politically correct world, when everyone is hiding their real thoughts and feelings, it’s very important to find points of the agreement through open dialogue,” Pyotr Tolstoy, deputy speaker of Russia’s lower house, said at the signing ceremony, according to United Russia.