Hungarian Prime Minister Orban to meet Donald Trump
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is expected to meet former US President Donald Trump in Florida today.
The Hungarian leader recently endorsed his long-time ally’s presidential bid. Orbán, who has denied sending weapons to Ukraine and maintained close ties with Russia since the Russian invasion in 2022, has frequently said that only the return of Trump to the White House would bring peace in Ukraine.
Last month, Trump caused anger among Western allies when he suggested that the United States might not protect NATO allies who are not spending enough on defense from a potential Russian invasion. Orbán has shared similar doubts about NATO; he has encountered tensions with the Biden administration over the ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership.
The meeting is a sign of what may change should Trump win the presidency in November and should right-wing groups find success in the European Parliament elections in June. Apart from a strengthened Trump-Orbán relationship, the united front for Ukraine among Western nations would decrease. There would also be consequences for transatlantic relations. Should the US adopt a more isolated stance globally, the EU’s attempt to establish “strategic autonomy” through qualified majority voting in major decisions may be hindered by Hungary.
