President Donald Trump (L) welcomes Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to the White House on May 13, 2019, in Washington, D.C. The two leaders were expected to meet again at the White House on Friday. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is traveling to the United States on Friday to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine likely at the top of the agenda.
Orbán expected to host Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest in a summit aimed to bring about a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. Trump, however, postponed the meeting in October, saying he didn’t want to “have a waste of time.”
The Guardian reported that at Friday’s meeting, Orbán was expected to try to set up another meeting between the two leaders not only to broker peace in Ukraine but to also boost his own standing as a statesman. Citing insiders, the news outlet said the far-right leader is facing stiff opposition ahead of April’s parliamentary elections, and a visit from Trump would potentially boost support among conservatives.
“Orbán wants Trump to come to Budapest before the elections,” an unnamed source working in the Hungarian government told The Guardian. “This is a top priority. They will discuss the Russian gas issue, but the thing Orbán cares about the most is the elections.”
In a post on X on Thursday, Orbán said Trump’s first 10 months back in office have repaired the relationship between the United States and Hungary. He said the Biden administration damaged that relationship through “politically motivated sanctions.”
“Our goal is to establish a strategic partnership that includes energy cooperation, investments, defense collaboration, and discussions on the post-war landscape following the Russia-Ukraine conflict,” Orbán wrote.
“We are working on an agreement based on mutual benefits, one that serves the interests of every Hungarian citizen.”
In addition to the war, Orbán was expected to bring up U.S. sanctions on two large oil companies in Moscow and their subsidiaries, ABC News reported.
Trump told reporters last week that Orbán wants an exemption from the sanctions.
“We haven’t granted one, but he has asked,” Trump said aboard Air Force One. “He’s a friend of mine. He’s asked for an exemption.”
