Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is set to meet with former U.S. President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida following a NATO summit in Washington. This meeting, Orbán's second with Trump since March, comes amidst Orbán's recent visits to Russia and China, raising concerns among Western allies.
Orbán, a nationalist leader, openly endorsed Trump's candidacy in the upcoming U.S. presidential election and has been advocating for Trump's intervention in ending Russia's war in Ukraine. Known for his stance on 'illiberal democracy,' Orbán has faced criticism for his policies on immigration, LGBTQ+ rights, press freedom, and judiciary independence in Hungary.
Orbán's recent diplomatic efforts include an unannounced visit to Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, followed by a trip to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This was then succeeded by a visit to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where Orbán praised China's peace initiatives.
These visits have drawn criticism from EU leaders, with Finnish President Alexander Stubb rebuking Orbán for engaging with authoritarian regimes that violate international law. Stubb emphasized the importance of unity among European leaders in foreign policy matters.
Orbán's alignment with Trump and conservative Republicans has raised concerns about his separate foreign policy approach compared to EU and NATO partners. Some observers fear that Orbán's actions could undermine the unity of these groups, especially in the face of a potential return of Trump to the U.S. presidency.
European governments are reportedly strategizing on how to maintain NATO's integrity, Western support for Ukraine, and the security of NATO countries in the event of a Trump presidency. The implications of Orbán's foreign engagements on broader geopolitical dynamics remain a subject of ongoing discussion among European leaders.
