US Vice President J.D. Vance is set to arrive in Budapest on Tuesday for a high-stakes intervention, underscoring how much the White House is willing to support Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán ahead of the national elections on April 12. This is reported by Politico, writes UNN.
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As the publication notes, Orbán is weakening in the polls, while opposition candidate, anti-corruption advocate Péter Magyar, is gaining momentum in the power struggle in Budapest after 16 years of rule by the governing Fidesz party.
Vance's visit, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, was presented by Hungarian government spokesman Zoltán Kovács as a celebration of the deep ties between the two countries.
"The visit underscores the strong and lasting alliance between Hungary and the United States," he wrote on X on Friday.
After Donald Trump's return to the US presidency, Washington assures that Viktor Orbán's policy is a role model for Europe.
However, the publication notes that Orbán's policies have often contradicted EU values, particularly regarding migration, minority rights, and relations with Russia.
Although high-ranking Fidesz officials were enthusiastic about Vance's visit to Hungary, not everyone shares this sentiment.
Magyar warned that the visit might have hidden conditions, hinting at unknown military agreements and suggesting that Washington might demand concessions in exchange for support.
"Both Eastern and Western aid have their price," he said, raising questions about what Hungary might be asked to provide in return, and referring to reports that Russia's contacts with Orbán's high-ranking officials are deeper than previously thought.
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