Closing summary
… but on that note, it’s a wrap for today!
The US vice-president, JD Vance, has offered unprecedented full-throated backing to Hungary’s embattled conservative-populist prime minister Viktor Orbán (17:39, 17:45, 17:52, 18:06, 18:13) as he spoke at what was effectively a pre-election rally, in a stark break with diplomatic rules about electoral interference (18:35).
During his speech, Vance called the US president, Donald Trump, and put him on loudspeaker so he too could endorse Orbán to thousands of his supporters gathered in Budapest (17:38).
The event comes at the end of a day marking “the Hungarian-American friendship,” in which Vance blasted what he claimed was “disgraceful” foreign interference in the election from the European Union, while declaring he wants to “help as much as I can possibly help” to get Orbán re-elected (13:58, 14:45, 17:56).
The leader of the main opposition party, Péter Magyar, tried to play down the importance of the US endorsement, stressing his hopes for positive relations with the US administration should his party win the vote (16:11).
It’s five days to go until the vote on Sunday, 12 April.
If you have any tips, comments or suggestions, email me at jakub.krupa@theguardian.com.
I am also on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.
JD Vance's speech in support of Hungary's Orbán - in pictures
I would imagine the EU may have some more things to say in response to JD Vance’s speech in Budapest this afternoon.
One to watch in the next few days of the campaign.
Meanwhile, the EU has hit back at claims by JD Vance that it should follow Viktor Orbán’s lead and resume energy supplies from Russia, despite sanctions over Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Going back to importing from Russia – an unreliable supplier that is waging an atrocious war against Ukraine – would be a strategic mistake,” said a spokesperson.
The US vice-president made his remarks on energy at a press conference in Budapest designed to cement Orbán’s position ahead of upcoming elections.
As expected, the EU took issue with many of Vance’s remarks including claims Brussels had interfered with the elections and wrongly refusing free speech in the campaigns that have been seen marked anti-Ukrainian disinformation.
The EU spokesperson, Thomas Regnier, said:
“In Europe, elections are the sole choice of the citizens.
Online platforms can be used to spread disinformation and manipulate citizens. Because of our Digital Services Act, online platforms have to mitigate risks to protect our democracies. In Europe, elections are not the choice of Big Tech and their algorithms.”
Far from increasing its dependence on others, “the commission and member states are building a stronger, more independent Europe,” Regnier added.
US vice-president comes to Budapest with rallying cry that defies diplomatic rules - snap analysis
With the new US administration we are somewhat becoming accustomed to the historically unacceptable, but that still doesn’t make things any more normal.
What we have just seen was a rallying cry by the US vice-president in the capital of the country that will hold the election in five days, with repeated and direct calls to back the incumbent prime minister against his rivals in a choice that was explicitly framed as civilisational and existential.
JD Vance supportively repeated many of Orbán’s key attack lines and far-right talking points against “bureaucrats” in Brussels, radicals, globalists, migrants and all sorts of other enemies that the embattled Hungarian prime minister so often rages against and paints as the external enemy threatening the country’s sovereignty.
As a result, the vice-president’s speech – heavy with the same sharp critique of Europe’s political leadership that defined his notorious Munich appearance last year – is the strongest endorsement Viktor Orbán could have realistically expected in the final days of the campaign.
Worth noting that no European leader has tried to pull anything remotely similar in this campaign to support Orbán’s rival, Péter Magyar.
Would the US vice-president be happy seeing some of European leaders do the exact same thing as he just did (which no doubt some of them will think of doing now)? Not sure.
For decades we would have probably seen something like this as completely out of order and the clearest imaginable example of foreign – even if allied – interference.
Well: clearly, not any more.
Updated
JD Vance directly urges Hungarians to vote for Viktor Orbán against Brussels
After a long laudation of Kossuth’s political thinking, JD Vance goes back to praise Orbán putting him in that pantheon of Hungary’s greatest sons.
“Under Viktor Orbán’s leadership, you have held on to the civilisational goods that make a country worth living in the first place.
Sovereignty, prosperity, history, a sense of national community, the redemptive nature of bringing new life and new families into the world.
This is an awesome and difficult responsibility, because across much of the West, there’s a growing uncertainty about whether these things matter or whether they’re worth fighting for. But not here.”
He says Hungary “stood up to the bureucrats and the nihilists” as he ends on a rallying cry.
Much to enthusiastic “yes!” from the audience, he asks them a series of questions:
“I wonder, will you do it again? Will you stand against the bureaucrats in Brussels? Will you stand for sovereignty and democracy? Will you stand for western civilisation? Will you stand for freedom, for truth, and for the God of our fathers?”
He then issues a direct call to action:
“Then my friends go to the polls and the weekend, stand with Viktor Orbán because he stands for you and he stands for all these things.
God bless Hungary and God bless the United States of America.”
It is clear that this speech is not invented in rush of the last few days or improvised on the spot, but a very meticulously researched and planned address, with very extensive and well-researched references to Hungarian history.
It tells you something about the rich links built over several years of Orban’s rule between Hungary and the Maga movement that JD Vance represents here.
It shows a clear intent to make a mark on this election race.
Vance paints Hungary as 'alternative' to Europe's wrong political 'radical' path
JD Vance now talks about to “renew” Europe as he says “we cannot sit on our hands and expect that everything is going to be fine.”
“When one country protects its sovereignty, even a country of 10 million people in the heart of Europe, it raises uncomfortable questions for those who insist there is no alternative. There is an alternative, and it’s right here in Hungary.”
He goes on to say that “Viktor and this entire political leadership, they become a target of the bureaucrats because he shows that real sovereignty is possible.”
He then makes a detour to mark the Easter last weekend, including the importance of Christian values in building “the most free, tolerant and prosperous societies in the history of humanity.”
“No set of ideas has brought mankind closer to universal human dignity and flourishing from them, from those principles that founded our civilisation. Everything else flows the way we pray, the way we form and raise our families, our sense of law and order, and the way we dispense justice. These are truths rooted in Scripture,” he says.
He warns that “what has been built over generations can be undone in a single life span” if people do not act on his warnings, as he draws references to key points in Hungarian history.
He draws on the “spirit of King Saint Stephen” – the first Hungarian king – and ask voters:
“Do you bend the knee to tyranny or do you proudly stand with Saint Stephen and choose a real leader this weekend?”
He keeps in this vein, talking about “a small band of radicals” and bureaucrats who “are trying to manage the decline of the greatest civilisation in the world.”
He then says they “reject mothers and motherhood, fathers and fatherhood,” attacks “gender care” and says “end of life planning” amounts to “institutional murder.”
He says Trump sent him to Budapest because they “believe our nations are incredibly capable of greatness,” without agreeing to a “false choice” between “isolation and globalist integration.”
He then once again reminds the audience of some names from the Hungarian-American history, including Michael Kováts de Fabriczy who served during the American Revolutionary War and Hungarian 19th century leader Lajos Kossuth, whose bronze bust can be found in the United States Capitol.
It is absolutely baffling how JD Vance is determined to insist that he is absolutely not telling the Hungarians who to vote for as he literally speaks in Budapest, five days out from the election, and delivers a straight stump speech / laudation for Viktor Orbán, including everything he (says) he has achieved in government, and how well he sees his actions in sharp contrast to what he believes is corrupt and rotten Europe and the EU.
Oh, and he repeatedly directly said he wants him to win the election, too.
It is obviously highly unusual for a senior US leader to intervene in a foreign election like this, and it would have once been unthinkable. But I think we know really well by now that the world has changed since January last year beyond any recognition.
But since he is doing it anyway, why not lean in, but instead keep pretending he is not doing the very thing he is doing?
JD Vance accuses Europe of giving in to far-left ideologies, rages against 'corruption' in Brussels
JD Vance goes on to talk about “a shared threat from within that both of our nations face,” as he talks about “a far-left ideology given quarter in university circles, in the media and in our entertainment industry, and increasingly among bureaucrats on both sides of the Atlantic.”
He talks about “its most radical members” who seek to “tear down monuments to our national heroes or throw buckets of fake blood on precious artworks and museums” and “setting fire to churches.”
He then says “feminists” are actually overseeing “policies that have seen an explosion of migrants crime and sexual assault against the very women they claim to protect,” and talk about “the corruption of Brussels” as “bureaucrats become millionaires by threatening and cajoling the sovereignty of the people across this beautiful continent.
He insists that his comments come from his love of Europe, not because he has “something against Europe.”
And, just so you don’t forget who is the good guy in this story, he reminds the audience that in sharp contrast that in Hungary there is “real progress under a man named Viktor Orbán.”
He also plays off some sort of secret information he claims to have, saying that as the US vice-president he “sees what the bureucrats hide from many from you,” as he rejects EU “sneers” against “the normal, God-fearing people of Hungary” and Orbán.
He says:
“I see that those who hate Europe the most, who hate its borders, its energy independence, the people who hate its Christian heritage, they hate one man above all others and his name is Viktor Orbán. And if they hate him, it means he’s on your side.”
He says other leaders hate Orbán because he stands up for Hungary’s interests, and so the US will stand shoulder to shoulder with the man who has done more to defend those values than anyone else.”
US 'admires what you are fighting for,' JD Vance says, contrasting Hungary with Brussels
JD Vance then turns to his praise for Budapest and Hungary more broadly, talking up the relationship between the two countries.
He says:
“I am here for a simple reason, because I admire what you are fighting for. You are fighting for your freedom, for your sovereignty, and I am here because president Trump and I wish for your success and we are fighting right here with you.”
He says the US joins Hungary “to be allies against those who seek to push Hungary down,” pointing to the EU’s migration policies in mid-2010s, or “strange activities [who] came to tell you to erase your heritage” and their response to the war in Ukraine.
He then turns to criticise Brussels as he says:
“We want you to make a decision about your future with no outside forces pressuring you or telling you what to do. I’m not telling you exactly who to vote for, but what I am telling you is that the bureaucrats in Brussels, those people, should not be listened to. Listen to your hearts, listen to your souls, and listen to the sovereignty of the Hungarian people.”
Just five or six lines later, in the spirit of absolutely not telling them who to vote for, he says that Hungary has “advanced that [shared] civilisation in recent years … with Viktor Orbán at the helm of a proud Hungarian nation.”
'We have to get Orbán re-elected as prime minister of Hungary, don’t we?,' Vance says
After Trump gets off the phone, Vance says “it is a tough act to follow, but I am going to do my best.”
He then adds: “Because we have to get Viktor Orbán re-elected as prime minister of Hungary, don’t we?”.
Obviously, as am sure you will be able to tell, his comments are in sharp contrast with the alleged and much-criticised EU “interference” in the Hungarian election.
JD Vance calls Trump on stage and US president endorses Orbán on loudspeaker
JD Vance begins by attempting to call president Donald Trump from the stage to get him to address the hall.
His first attempt goes straight to the voicemail though. Unlucky.
He has more luck at the second attempt.
Vance tells him that “5,000 Hungarian patriots” are here, and “I think they love you even more than they love Viktor Orbán.”
Trump says he loves Hungary, and praises Orbán as “a fantastic man,” who “did not allow people to storm your country and invade your country like the people have and ruined other countries.”
He says Orbán “kept your country good” and he “likes him a lot.”
“If I didn’t think he did a good job, I wouldn’t be making a call like this,” he says.
Orbán calls for 'Reconquista of Europe' to turn Brussels into 'bastion of patriots'
Viktor Orbán ends with a call to action, saying that “if we prevail then, my friends, we shall be capable of wonderful things.”
“It shall be from here, Hungary, that, the Reconquista of Europe will start, which will put our new patriotic governments and the power will be established, which after Washington DC, will change Brussels and change it from the headquarters of the progressives into a bastion of patriots.”
JD Vance is up next.
Orbán goes on talking up Vance’s knowledge of what’s happening elsewhere when “foreigners want to intervene in elections,” as he tells everyone to “keep their hands off Hungary.”
Obviously, that doesn’t seem to apply to the very foreigner he is about to introduce.
But before that happens, he goes through his usual attack lines against Brussels, criticising it for “gender ideology,” migration, and “persecuting their political opponents,” and alleging that “they use the institutions of the European Union to silence everyone who endangers their power” with “ridiculous and openly unlawful procedures” against conservative leaders.
He goes on to say that they “want to continue the war in Ukraine,” and “their dream is to send their own young to the eastern front under the flags of the European Union.” He aslso attacks and all sorts of allegations against Ukraine.
You will not be surprised that most of this is not really true – but it gives you a flavour of his speech, which curiously coincides with his election talking points, but – as I am sure you remember by now – is being delivered absolutely not at a political rally, and merely an event celebrating the Hungarian-US ties?
Orbán now talks about how his government had to fight with “Brussels and the Washingtonian progressives,” engaging in “excruciatingly difficult” fight with them to defend Hungary’s key values.
He says Hungarians are unapologetic in the belief in their values and “if we are not good for somebody the way we are, it’s their loss.”
He then pointedly praises JD Vance, his book, and his Munich speech from last year, in which the vice-president warned against “an enemy from within,” saying that with his comments he “wrote history” and “freed liberates … the intelectual and political forces … suffering from the muzzle of political correctness.”
Orbán now goes through common themes and heroes in Hungarian and US history.
But he clearly turns to party political lines, as he says:
“The Americans and Hungarians, our friendship, has endured even in those difficult years when US Democrats wanted to turn the 1000 year old Christian Hungary into a leftist, progressive country. However, one cannot find fight the laws of physics. Freedom loving people cannot be converted and to liberal ideologies.”
He then praises Donald Trump, saying he “pivoted” away from “the power of globalist forces, driven by ideologies” and turned back to “the era of strong nations,” empowering “the patriots of the world” to feel that “it is not a sin to be patriotic.”
Remember: it’s obviously just a non-political celebration of close cultural ties between the two countries, not at all a party political rally five days before the election. (winks)
Updated
Viktor Orbán is now being introduced to the stage, presented as “one of the closest US president’s allies and friends,” whose “remarkable” political ideas are increasingly seen as an example to follow in Europe.
(It’s just a celebration of the “Hungarian-American day of friendship,” not at all an election rally, obviously.)
“There is a saying in Hungary which goes like this: A man is best characterised by his friends. We are very happy and we are very grateful to the divine powers that be that we have such an important man as our friend,” he says.
He says JD Vance and him are two “freedom loving” leaders, with the US “born in a freedom fight, fighting a globalist empire to be free,” according to live interpretation of his remarks.
Updated
The event/rally is now getting under way, beginning with the two countries’s national anthems, with musical accompaniment played on what sounds like a funked up keyboard.
We are listening so you do not have to.
JD Vance, Orbán expected to speak at public event celebrating ties between countries
in Budapest
We are expecting JD Vance to make another appearance in the next half hour as he and Viktor Orbán are due to speak at a public event celebrating “the day of Hungarian-American friendship,” which will essentially be seen as a rally in support of the prime minister.
About 1,500 people are in the crowd, with the MTK Sportpark arena in Budapest packed.
Organisers have asked attendees to sit very close to each other, and clap loudly as we build up to the event.
Meanwhile, the organisers are playing Hungarian folk kitsch music in the press room on loop, which some grumpy reporters have described as “psychological warfare against journalists.”
Updated
On the Ground: Is this the end of Viktor Orbán in Hungary?
Over the past 16 years prime minister Viktor Orbán has turned Hungary into what he calls an ‘illiberal democracy’, using a parliamentary supermajority to effect constitutional control over institutions, targeting minorities, political opponents and the independent media in the process.
Yet in spite of this power, he is projected to potentially lose the popular vote at the upcoming election, the most critical in Europe this year.
See our On the Ground video report from Hungary for more on the election:
Updated
Hungary under new government would see US as 'key partner,' opposition leader says
Despite JD Vance’s backing for Viktor Orbán, the opposition leader Péter Magyar continues to focus on another part of the vice-president’s comments earlier as he tries to put out a positive message.
Responding to Vance’s public commitment that the US administration was ready to work with “whoever” wins the election on Sunday, he says that his Tisza government would “regard the United States as a key partner, both as a Nato ally and as an economic partner.”
The new government “would be pleased to welcome the president and the vice-president to Budapest on the 70th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956” in October, he says.
US vice-president JD Vance has accused the EU of making a “huge mistake” cutting off oil and natural gas from “the East” since the war in Ukraine and said they should have followed the “policies” of Viktor Orbán.
What are the facts?
In 2022, Orbán has successfully got special exemptions from EU sanctions on Russian energy – from the very leaders Vance is criticising.
The purpose of the EU derogation was to allow Hungary time to reduce its reliance on Russian oil and natural gas imports at a time when the world, including G7 countries, were imposing sanctions on Russian energy exports.
A report out last month shows that rather than reducing, Hungary’s reliance on Russia has increased, now accounting for 93% of the country’s crude oil imports compared to 61% in 2021, according to the Center for the Study of Democracy.
Gas supplies from Gazprom were effectively cut off in 2022 in a separate dispute with Russia.
Imports of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) controversially continued to be allowed with the EU only agreeing this January to a ban beginning of 2027.
In fact the US has became the world’s largest LNG supplier in 2023 due to the Ukraine war.
Under threat of punishing tariffs, that in some eyes amounted to bullying, the EU cemented US supplies to the bloc last year agreeing to buy $750bn worth of energy from the US up to 2028 as part of the EU-US trade deal.
Faced with accusations that it was turning its back on net zero emission targets, officials privately pointed out that the deal was “only” for three years after which imports of LNG would likely reduce dramatically from the US.
The US’s war on Iran has, ironically, given a 2026 unexpected boost to the greening of energy with European capitals waking up to the urgent need to electrify cars, factories and homes.
Updated
JD Vance's press conference with Orbán in Budapest - in pictures
JD Vance criticises alleged EU interference in Hungarian elections as he effectively endorses Orbán with some interference of his own - snap analysis
That was quite something.
The US vice-president JD Vance has just repeatedly criticised allegedly unprecedented and “disgraceful” foreign interference in the Hungarian parliamentary election, while effectively strongly endorsing Viktor Orbán to win the vote on Sunday in what critics will no doubt see as his very own interference with the country’s electoral process.
Without skipping a beat, he smoothly moved from lambasting European “bureaucrats” for “one of the worst examples of foreign election interference” he has ever seen (14:09) and accusing them of trying to “destroy the economy of Hungary” to saying he is “here to help him in this election campaign” and that and he was expecting him to win the vote on Sunday (14:26).
Lavishing praise on the embattled prime minister, he argued that he sees in Orbán someone who “ferociously advocated” for his country, “stands up for the values of western civilisation” (14:04), and is generally right on all sorts of things from energy (14:01) to Ukraine (14:05, 14:15).
But it is the stark contradiction at the very heart of his criticism of “foreign interference” that will no doubt raise eyebrows elsewhere in Europe.
His repeated attacks on “Brussels” and Ukraine (14:19) – two of Orbán’s favourite enemies in this campaign – are likely to raise further alarm among other EU leaders as they need to figure out how to respond to this new crazy world of the US vice-president not-at-all-interfering-with-the-vote in an EU member state.
Updated
Vance also gets asked how the military goals in Iran can be achieved if the US continues its attacks on the country.
He also gets asked about reports about US attacks on Kharg Island, and he says the plan was to hit “some military targets” there and “I believe we have done so.”
“The president’s deadline is has been followed by us and everybody else. And he said very clearly, we’re not going to strike energy and infrastructure targets until the Iranians either make a proposal that we can get behind or don’t make a proposal. But he’s given them until Tuesday at 8:00. So I don’t think the news and Kharg Island, is represents a change in strategy or represents any change from the president.”
He then jokes about Iran leaders being “not the fastest negotiators,” but says he hopes to get an answer by 8pm deadline.
And that ends the press conference.
'Viktor Orbán is going to win the next election in Hungary,' JD Vance says
JD Vance gets asked if the US administration would work with another Hungarian government too.
He says they would, but adds:
“Viktor Orbán is going to win the next election in Hungary, so I feel very confident about that and about our continued positive relationship.”
He then turns to Orbán and asks “Viktor, is that right?”
Delighted Orbán says: “That’s the plan.”
Travelling US reporters then ask JD Vance about his views on Iran.
He says there are “clear two pathways for Iran.”
“I think pathway one is where the Iranians decide they’re going to be a normal country. They’re not going to fund terrorism any more. They’re going to be part of the world system of commerce and exchange. And that’s going to mean much better things for them economically. … Option B is that the Iranians don’t come to the table and they stay committed to terrorism, to terrorising their neighbours, not just Israel, but of course their Arab neighbours too. Then the the economic situation in Iran is going to continue to be very, very bad and frankly, it will probably get worse.”
He says the US deadline expires in “about 12 hours from now” and “we are going to find out” what’s next then.
JD Vance says EU made 'huge mistake' to cut off oil, natural gas from 'the East'
JD Vance then pivots to discuss what’s next for Ukraine as he says:
“I really believe it’s in the best interest of Ukraine, the best interests in Europe and Hungary, the best interests of the United States for this war to come to as rapid of a close as possible.”
He also says the EU made a “huge mistake” by cutting itself off from oil and natural gas from the East.
“The seeds of this conflict were actually planted well before the fighting started, and they were planted when European leaders decided that they were going to go so deep into a particular energy economy that they were going to cut themselves off from oil and natural gas that came from the East.
That was a huge mistake then, and it’s obvious that it’s a huge mistake now.
And it’s funny when I hear people accuse, you know, my president, for example, of being pro-Russia. My president has done more to to help Europe out with energy and liquid natural gas than anybody in the world, which weakens Russia because we would love our allies and our friends to pursue smart energy policies so their consumers can pay less money. But also when, God forbid, there’s a conflict, they can rely on us rather than another country for the energy that they need.
So it’s so funny to me that very often, the very people who accuse this or that leader of being pro-Russia are the very people who created an energy weak economy in Europe to begin with.”
He says the US wants “the killing to stop” and “get back to commerce” with Ukraine and Russia.
A Hungarian journalist now plays up Orbán’s attack lines on Ukraine, alleging all sorts of Ukrainian involvement in the US campaign and other attacks on conservatives.
JD Vance in response says that the US is “certainly aware that there are elements within the Ukrainian intelligence services that try to put their thumb on the scale of American elections, [or] on Hungarian elections, this is just what they do.”
Amazingly, he also condemns “people in the Ukrainian system who were campaigning with Democrats literally in the weeks before the presidential election,” while literally standing next to Viktor Orbán doing the very same thing in the Hungarian election.
Vance praises Orbán's role in talks on ending Russian war against Ukraine
The press conference turns towards Ukraine, with Orbán repeating his readiness to host a potential future summit on peace talks with Russia.
In response, JD Vance says the US “don’t like the war, we want it to stop” as he talks about how difficult this has proved to be so far.
He says:
“The question is, how do you make it stop? And the answer is not by politicians who stand up microphones and beat their chests and act tough when somebody else’s children are going off to fight in a conflict; you do it through sustained diplomacy.”
He says Orbán “has been better than anybody at helping us understand what is it that the Ukrainians need and what is it that the Russians need to achieve peace.”
“Viktor has been a great part of it, which is why the president asked him about the Budapest summit, because I think [if] we’re ever going to get these leaders together, this is the perfect place to do it, a place of real statesmanship, a place that has shown itself very willing to be a positive force for peace.
JD Vance blasts 'bureaucrats' in Brussels for 'one of worst examples of foreign election interference' in Hungary
Amazingly, Vance then launches a tirade against “one of the worst examples of foreign election interference that I have ever seen,” lambasting “the bureaucrats in Brussels [who] have tried to destroy the economy of Hungary.”
“They’ve done it all because they hate this guy,” he says, calling their involvement “disgraceful.”
In a completely-not-interfering-with-the-vote-tone-at-all, he tells the Hungarian voters they should consider “not who is pro- or anti-Europe, who is pro- or anti-US, but who is pro-you and pro- the people of Hungary.”
“And my experience, I have seen a guy who is ferociously advocated for the interests of Hungary,” he says.
Without a hint of response to apparent contradiction at the very heart of his comments, he then ends his long praise for Orbán saying:
“Part of the reason why we’re here, and part of the reason why the president, the United States sent me here is because we think the amount of interference that’s come from the bureaucracy in Brussels has been truly disgraceful. I won’t tell the people of Hungary how to vote. I would encourage the bureaucrats in Brussels to do the exact same thing.”
Updated
Vance praises Orbán's record on mediating with Russia, Ukraine
Vance then says that Orbán has been a “statesman” on Russia and Ukraine, and says alongside Trump they are “the two leaders who have done the most to actually end that destructive conflict.”
(Erm. 10:42)
“Your leadership has been a far, far more important and constructive partner for peace than almost anyone, anywhere else in the world,” he tells Orbán.
Orbán stands with US in defence of Christian western civilisation, JD Vance says
Vance then speaks about “moral cooperation” between the Trump administration and Orbán’s Hungary as they “stand up for the values of western civilisation.”
He says that cooperation includes “is the defence of Western civilisation,” as he attacks what he claims to be “indoctrination” on gender issues.
He goes on to say it is also “the defence of the idea that we are founded on a certain Christian civilisation and Christian values that animate everything from freedom of speech to rule of law, to respect for minority rights and protection of the vulnerable.”
He carries on:
“There is so much that unites the United States and Hungary, and unfortunately, there have been too few people who have been willing to stand up for the values of western civilisation. Viktor Orbán is the rare exception that has unfortunately proved the rule.”
Vance hails Orbán as Europe's 'single most profound leader in Europe' on energy security
JD Vance continues by saying “there are so many things we could point to” in terms of US-Hungarian cooperation, as he hails Orbán as “the single profound leader in Europe on the question of energy security and independence.”
He then again openly criticises other EU leaders, saying that “it is funny to watch prime ministers and leaders in some of the western European capitals talk about the energy crisis, when, frankly, they should have been following the policies of Viktor Orbán in Hungary.”
“And if they had the energy crisis that they’re experiencing would be a lot less bad.”
He then says:
“We want Europe to be successful. We want European families to be able to afford to heat their homes and to build great things. We want Europe to be energy independent and even energy dominant, but it’s not going to be energy secure if it continues to follow the failed policies of the past.
And so I think Viktor has been a great example, and charting a course that could lead to a better, more prosperous and more energy secure Europe.”
'I want to help as much as I can possibly help,' JD Vance says in full-out endorsement of Orbán
JD Vance is up next and he doesn’t mince his words as he openly endorses Orbán ahead of the vote this Sunday.
He hails him as a close partner of the US president, Donald Trump, and says “we want to build upon those amazing things.”
He then goes into full throated endorsement of Orbán:
“I want to help as much as I possibly can the prime minister as he faces this election season, which I believe is happening in just about a week, the election to elect the next prime minister of Hungary.
Now, I don’t expect, of course, the people of Hungary to listen to the vice-president of the United States – that’s not primarily why I’m here.
But I did want to send a signal to everybody, particularly the bureaucrats in Brussels, who have done everything that they can to hold down the people of Hungary, because they don’t like the leader who has actually stood up for the people of Hungary.”
Trump's elections 'ushered golden era in our relations,' Orbán says
Orbán and Vance are speaking now.
The Hungarian prime minister begins by repeating the narrative that "with the election of president Trump, … a golden era has been ushered in our relations” as he hails American FDI in Hungary.
He points to the US role in ensuring Hungary’s security and stresses the importance of their energy cooperation as he repeats his dramatic warnings about the impeding energy crisis that he says is about to hit Europe in the coming days and weeks.
Orbán then turns to Ukraine, saying Hungary has had to live “in the shadows of the war” for four years as he laments that "the Europeans, especially Brussels” in his view keep blocking peace talks with Russia.
He then repeats his allegations of “foreign security interference” in the Hungarian election.
Listing four top topics of their discussions, he also points to migration, “gender ideology”, family policy, and global security.
'President loves you and so do I,' JD Vance tells Orbán in Budapest
As we are still waiting for the press conference to begin, we are getting first comments from Orbán’s meeting with JD Vance, via the White House pool.
Ahead of their talks, Orbán said the meeting was an opportunity to exchange views on current affairs and what he sees as the fight for the “soul of the west,” it was reported.
He also received some praise from Vance, who reportedly said “the president loves you and so do I,” and added Orbán was “one of the only true statesmen in Europe” and wishing him good luck for this week’s elections.
“I just appreciate Victor’s friendship, because it is very rare you have somebody with this combination of diplomatic skill and wisdom. It’s very, very important to us that we continue to keep this relationship ongoing,” he said.
We are now getting more pictures from inside Orbán’s meeting with JD Vance in Budapest.
There are also some government-issued handout pictures, showing the pair deep in conversation with the backdrop of the Hungarian capital.
They are expected to hold a joint press conference sooner rather than later, and I will bring you all the key lines here.
Sarkozy insists he is innocent as he faces fresh trial over Libyan funding allegations
in Paris
Elsewhere, Nicolas Sarkozy has told a Paris court of appeal he is innocent as he faces a fresh trial over allegations he conspired to receive illegal election campaign funding from the regime of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
The former rightwing French president, who was in office between 2007 and 2012, said: “Gaddafi had no hold over me, not political, not financial, not personal.”
Last year, Sarkozy was sentenced to five years in prison for criminal conspiracy over the alleged scheme to obtain election campaign funds from Gaddafi’s regime. He became the first former head of an EU country to serve time in prison, and the first French postwar leader to go behind bars.
After 20 days in a Paris jail, which he described as “gruelling” and a “nightmare”, Sarkozy was released from prison in November, pending his appeal, and published a book about his time inside. He was in solitary confinement for his own security, in an individual cell of about 9 sq metres with his own shower and toilet.
Sarkozy has been accused of making a deal, as interior minister in 2005, with Gaddafi to obtain campaign financing for his successful 2007 presidential bid in exchange for supporting the then-isolated Libyan government on the international stage. Sarkozy denied this.
Last year, Sarkozy was found guilty of one count of criminal conspiracy over the scheme to obtain election funds from Libya. He was acquitted of three other charges of corruption, misuse of Libyan public funds and illegal election campaign funding.
Sarkozy is now on trial again on all four counts at the fresh trial on appeal after he appealed against his conviction and the state prosecutor appealed against the acquittals.
If convicted, Sarkozy, 71, faces up to 10 years in prison.
Orbán and JD Vance just briefly appeared before the photographers for a quick handshake, but they did take any questions.
The Hungarian prime minister appeared to be quite interested in engaging with reporters, but the US vice-president shut them down saying “we will do a press conference later.”
Updated
We are expecting to hear from JD Vance later today twice, first at a joint press conference with Viktor Orbán and then at a pre-election rally disguised as Hungarian-American Friendship day.
He is about to meet Orbán any moment now for a quick handshake for photographers to formally kick-off the visit.
As you can see, the preparations are now in final stages…
JD Vance arrives in Budapest - in pictures
… and here they are!
JD Vance and Usha Vance off the Air Force Two, welcomed by Hungarian foreign minister Péter Szijjártó as they begin their two-day trip to the Hungarian capital.
JD Vance's visit signals 'golden age' of Hungarian-US relations, foreign minister says
In a short video clip for social media, Hungary’s foreign minister Péter Szijjártó hailed today’s visit by JD Vance as historic, saying it’s the first visit of the US vice-president since 1991, and the highest level US visit since George W Bush in 2006.
“There is no question this is a golden age for Hungarian-American relations,” he said, stressing the political and ideological proximity and even friendship, as he calls it, between Donald Trump and Viktor Orbán.
Today’s talks are expected to touch upon migration, global security, and economic and energy cooperation between Hungary and the US.
Szijjártó is strategically positioned by the steps from Air Force Two and will welcome JD Vance and his wife, Usha, to Budapest any second now.
Updated
JD Vance lands in Budapest
In the meantime, the Air Force Two carrying the US vice-president JD Vance has now landed at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International airport, and the ground crew are rolling out the red carpet for the US VP.
A matter of minutes before we see him on the tarmac there.
Updated
Orbán told Putin he was 'at his service' when discussing potential US-Russia summit on Ukraine, Bloomberg reports
Hungary’s Viktor Orbán reportedly told Russia’s Vladimir Putin he was “at his service” as part of their preliminary discussions about hosting a peace summit on Ukraine in Budapest, Bloomberg reported (£) citing a leaked transcript of their phone call.
The phone call, which reportedly took place in October, focused on plans to organise a peace summit involving the US and Russia to discuss ending the Russian invasion of Ukraine. They also discussed what was needed to make the meeting happen, with a preparatory discussion by the respective US and Russian foreign ministers.
In the call, the pair discussed their longstanding relationship going back to Orbán’s first visit to St Petersburg in 2009, as well as their admiration of the US president, Donald Trump, Bloomberg said.
Hungary was one of the few, “perhaps the only,” European country that was an acceptable venue for the meeting under discussion, Putin said, as per Bloomberg.
The conversation ended with Orbán saying good-bye in Russian, it was reported.
The report will no doubt bring even more scrutiny of the Hungarian government’s relations with Russia after recent controversies involving Orbán’s foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó after his call with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, was reported by a consortium of European media.
JD Vance’s Air Force Two is now on approach to Budapest.
Several traffic restrictions and disruptions are expected across the capital as it steps up security to host the US vice-president.
'Hungarian history is not written in Washington, Moscow or Brussels,' Magyar responds to Vance's visit
Meanwhile, the opposition leader Péter Magyar has responded to JD Vance’s visit rejecting what he described as “interference in Hungarian elections.”
He said:
“No foreign country may interfere in Hungarian elections.
This is our country. Hungarian history is not written in Washington, Moscow, or Brussels – it is written in Hungary’s streets and squares.
Five days to go!”
Vance's visit highlights Orbán's importance for Maga movement
Ashifa Kassam and Flora Garamvolgyi in Budapest
The visit has sparked questions over why Vance and his wife, Usha, are carving out time to visit Budapest as the US administration faces a threat of escalation in its five-week war on Iran.
Since returning to power, Trump and his government have broken with the principle among western democracies – to which past US presidents have adhered – of not taking sides in foreign elections.
Instead, the Trump administration openly shows support for leaders it sees as compatible with Maga ideology and foreign policy priorities – regardless of their democratic credentials.
“Hungary is their El Dorado,” said Jacob Heilbrunn, the editor of National Interest. “Vance has always been besotted with Hungary for political and religious reasons.”
The veneration spans across much of the current US administration. Orbán has been lauded by Trump’s former adviser Steve Bannon as “Trump before Trump”, while Kevin Roberts, the head of the Heritage Foundation thinktank that produced Project 2025, a far-right blueprint for Trump’s second term, once said: “Modern Hungary is not just a model for conservative statecraft, but the model.”
While Trump has repeatedly endorsed Orbán, describing the rightwing populist leader as a “fantastic guy” and a “strong and powerful leader”, Heilbrunn saw Vance’s visit as a hint that Trump believed Orbán could lose the election. “Trump hates to be associated with a loser, so he is sending Vance to be the fall guy,” he said.
If Orbán were to lose the elections, it would be a “crashing blow” for the Maga movement, said Heilbrunn.
“They have staked almost everything on Hungary as a vanguard to erode and undermine the EU and to bolster Putin’s ability to threaten Ukraine.”
JD Vance’s Air Force Two is currently flying over southern Germany and nearing the Czech airspace. He is expected in Budapest in just over an hour.
You can track the flight here.
Morning opening: JD Vance in Budapest
The US vice-president JD Vance is en route to Budapest this morning, where he is expected to support the embattled prime minister Viktor Orbán in the final days of the campaign before this weekend’s crucial parliamentary election in Hungary.
Departing from Joint Base Andrews last night, JD Vance said he was looking forward to meeting his “friend Viktor,” and said that the pair would discuss not just the state of the US-Hungarian relations, but also broader issues on Europe and Ukraine.
His visit is likely to be seen as somewhat unprecedented involvement in a foreign electoral campaign, highlighting the importance of Orbán – a regular critic of Brussels and Europe’s migration policies – for Maga worldview. In January, nearly a dozen rightwing leaders came together to endorse Orbán in a video and last month they attended a “Patriots” rally in Budapest.
But Orbán is also a rare Russian ally in Europe, who keeps blocking the EU’s support for Ukraine – including the latest €90bn loan – and stricter sanctions on Moscow as part of his escalating spat with Kyiv over energy supplies.
Vance is expected to land in Budapest this morning before appearing alongside Orbán at a joint press conference around lunch and joining him for a rally on “the Hungarian-American Friendship Day” this afternoon.
There are, however, some doubts whether any of that is really going to help Orbán much as he continues to trail the opposition by some 10 percentage points as the campaign focuses on the government’s domestic record, including on the economy.
I will bring you all the lines from Budapest here.
Separately, the former French president and one time prison memoir writer Nicolas Sarkozy is back in court for his Libyan case appeal hearing, and the Danish coalition talks continue as they seek for a majority to form the next government.
It’s Tuesday, 7 April 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
