Donald Trump’s man in Europe gambles on return of his American ally
Viktor Orban made his loyalties clear when he landed in Georgia this week. As protesters disputed an election victory for its pro-Russian leadership, Hungary’s prime minister congratulated the country for choosing not to become the next Ukraine.
The trip to Tbilisi was a bold move, even for a leader who has made no secret of his coziness with Russia and disregard for the European Union. But with all eyes now on voting in the US, the timing was as important as the optics.
A win for his ally Donald Trump on Tuesday could make Orban the go-to person in Europe for the next US president, according to a person familiar with the thinking in Budapest. And with Russia’s war in Ukraine, Europe’s security and trade relations with China all in flux, Orban is relishing that prospect.
The pair forged a transatlantic camaraderie going back to Orban’s early endorsement of Trump in 2016. More recently, Orban lauded the Republican nominee as the only person who can bring a quick end to the war in Ukraine. Over the summer, Orban said his aides “were deeply involved” with the team working on Trump’s policy program for the next four years.
For his part, Trump has praised the Hungarian’s leadership. Orban diluted sanctions against Russia, opposed aid for Ukraine and vetoed critical statements on China. Within days of Hungary assuming the EU’s rotating presidency in July, Orban travelled to Moscow to meet with President Vladimir Putin, blindsiding European and NATO allies and even his own cabinet.
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