🔗 Share this article

Throughout the 2016 campaign for the US presidency, Viktor Orbán stood out as the only EU chief to support the Republican candidate. This backing was hardly surprising, considering Mr Orbán's adoption of contentious notions including the "great replacement" theory and the restrictions against press independence. Analysts point out that Mr Orbán practically pioneered the Make America Great Again campaign, with one-time strategist Steve Bannon once praising him as the "Trump before Trump".

Campaign Assistance Before Hungarian Elections

In recent days, ahead of pivotal polls in Hungary just six months away, Donald Trump offered electoral assistance. As Mr Orbán aims for a fifth consecutive term leading a country he describes as an non-liberal system, his political group currently trails in opinion polls. An official trip to Washington resulted in more than some autographed Trump merchandise; it secured highly beneficial pre-election gifts.

Energy Exemptions and Economic Protections

Despite before lecturing EU countries on the imperative to stop all fuel purchases from the Russian Federation, and warning of sanctions against states persisting to purchase Russian crude, the US president consented to grant a particular exclusion for Hungary – the biggest user in the EU of Russian crude. Per the Hungarian leader, the American leadership also agreed to offer a economic protection to the Hungarian authorities if it faces any upcoming challenges, particularly since EU institutions is still blocking billions in EU funding to Hungary due to failures to uphold the rule of law.

The specifics of this deal are unclear. But Donald Trump recently demonstrated his readiness to help out ideological allies as the US extended a a $20 billion loan to Javier Milei, Argentina's president. Even though the Hungarian PM did not secure a Trump trip to Budapest to the Hungarian capital, the Washington talks nevertheless was a profitable day’s work.

European Apprehensions and Geopolitical Stakes

Within EU circles, Trump's actions probably further underlined the geopolitical stakes of the upcoming vote, before which the opposition candidate, Magyar, has a clear edge in opinion data. European leaders are accustomed not to look for steady principles from the Trump administration, and have grown used to the American leader's efforts to belittle the European Union. But the special treatment for Orbán – which came at the price of an agreement to buy American natural gas and nuclear power – flagrantly undermines European goals to phase out Russian oil and gas by 2027.

• Since 2022, the top importers in the EU of Russian petroleum, Hungary and Slovakia, have funneled more than ten billion pounds to the Moscow's war operations.
• At the same time, the Hungarian government has often employed the blocking vote to stymie progress in negotiations for Ukraine's EU membership.
• While Europe works to create a coordinated approach for backing Ukraine, and bolstering its position in any later diplomatic discussions, Orbán's pro-Russia stance at the negotiating table is still a key barrier.

Challenger's Position

Péter Magyar has refrained from vowing a drastic turnaround on the Ukraine conflict, and focused his campaigning on home affairs, while emphasizing the necessity for the country to start acting as a productive EU partner. Following so many years of trolling, Brussels can only wait and hope. Mr Orbán’s indifference to core EU ideals, like the upholding of minority rights and the autonomy of civic groups, has long been a source of shame for the European Union. His continued obstructionism toward Ukraine risks undermining its security prospects.