Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met former American President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida on July 11, following the NATO summit in Washington. The meeting, part of Orban's self-proclaimed 'peace mission,' was aimed at discussing ways to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.
Orban shared a photo of the meeting on X, stating, 'We discussed ways to make peace. The good news of the day: it will solve the problem!' However, he provided no further details about the discussions. The two leaders, known for their mutual admiration, have met several times before. Orban's slogan for Hungary's six-month presidency of the EU, 'Make Europe Great Again,' is directly inspired by Trump's 'Make America Great Again.'
Hungary has held the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU since July 1, but this role does not allow it to speak on behalf of Europeans on the international scene. Orban's recent visits to Moscow, Kyiv, and Beijing, as part of his 'peace mission,' have been controversial. European leaders at the NATO summit criticized his meeting with President Vladimir Putin, emphasizing that Orban acted independently and without their mandate.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Finnish President Alexander Stubb both expressed their disapproval of Orban's engagement with authoritarian regimes. The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, also voiced his disagreement.
The shadow of Donald Trump loomed over the NATO summit, particularly as questions arise about Joe Biden's candidacy for a second term. Biden's recent gaffes, including mistakenly referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as 'President Putin,' have drawn criticism from Trump.
Orban's visit to Trump comes amid the US election campaign, where Trump aims to return to the White House. The Hungarian Prime Minister's actions at the NATO summit, including his foreign minister's criticism of NATO's double standards, have isolated Hungary within the alliance.
- Orban's visit to Trump underscores the strong relationship between the two right-wing populists. Earlier in March, Orban had called Trump the 'president of peace,' while Trump praised Orban as the 'best leader' ever.
- Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto represented Orban at the NATO summit after Orban left early for his meeting with Trump. Szijjarto criticized NATO's approach to the Ukraine conflict, highlighting what he saw as inconsistencies in the alliance's policies. He pointed out that while NATO rejects dialogue with Russia, it pressures Israel to negotiate with Hamas.
- The Hungarian government's stance has led to its isolation within NATO, with several allies openly disagreeing with Szijjarto's statements. Despite the controversy, Orban remains committed to advocating for dialogue and diplomatic channels to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.
