From 13m ago
JD Vance criticises alleged EU interference in Hungarian elections as he effectively endorses Orbán with some interference of his own – snap analysis
Jakub Krupa
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 bit, 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.
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That was quite something.
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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.
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prime minister Viktor Orbán and US vice-president JD Vance hold a joint press conference in Budapest, Hungary.","caption":"Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán and US vice-president JD Vance hold a joint press conference in Budapest, Hungary.","credit":"Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/AP"}},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
Without skipping a bit, 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).
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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).
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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.
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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.
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JD Vance gets asked if the US administration would work with another Hungarian government too.
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He says they would, but adds:
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“Viktor Orbán is going to win the next election in Hungary, so I feel very confident about that and about our continued positive relationship.”
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He then turns to Orbán and asks “Viktor, is that right?”
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Delighted Orbán says: “That’s the plan.”
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JD Vance then pivots to discuss what’s next for Ukraine as he says:
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“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.”
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He also says the EU made a “huge mistake” by cutting itself off from oil and natural gas from the East.
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“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.
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That was a huge mistake then, and it’s obvious that it’s a huge mistake now.
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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.
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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.”
\n
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He says the US wants “the killing to stop” and “get back to commerce” with Ukraine and Russia.
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The press conference turns towards Ukraine, with Orbán repeating his readiness to host a potential future summit on peace talks with Russia.
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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.
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He says:
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“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.”
\n
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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.”
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“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.
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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.”
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“They’ve done it all because they hate this guy,” he says, calling their involvement “disgraceful.”
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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.”
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“And my experience, I have seen a guy who is ferociously advocated for the interests of Hungary,” he says.
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Without a hint of response to apparent contradiction at the very heart of his comments, he then ends his long praise for Orbán saying:
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“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.”
\n
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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.”
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(Erm. 10:42)
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“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.
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Vance then speaks about “moral cooperation” between the Trump administration and Orbán’s Hungary as they “stand up for the values of western civilisation.”
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He says that cooperation includes “is the defence of Western civilisation,” as he attacks what he claims to be “indoctrination” on gender issues.
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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.”
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He carries on:
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“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.”
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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.”
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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.”
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“And if they had the energy crisis that they’re experiencing would be a lot less bad.”
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He then says:
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\n
“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.
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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.”
\n
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JD Vance is up next and he doesn’t mince his words as he openly endorses Orbán ahead of the vote this Sunday.
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He hails him as a close partner of the US president, Donald Trump, and says “we want to build upon those amazing things.”
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He then goes into full throated endorsement of Orbán:
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“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.
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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.
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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.”
\n
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Orbán and Vance are speaking now.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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He then repeats his allegations of “foreign security interference” in the Hungarian election.
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Listing four top topics of their discussions, he also points to migration, “gender ideology”, family policy, and global security.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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“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.
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in Paris
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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.
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French president Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, leave the courtroom following a recess in his appeal trial over charges he sought Libyan financing for his 2007 election, at the Palais de Justice courthouse in Paris, France.","caption":"Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, leave the courtroom following a recess in his appeal trial over charges he sought Libyan financing for his 2007 election, at the Palais de Justice courthouse in Paris, France.","credit":"Photograph: Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP/Getty Images"}},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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If convicted, Sarkozy, 71, faces up to 10 years in prison.
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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.
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“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.
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Today’s talks are expected to touch upon migration, global security, and economic and energy cooperation between Hungary and the US.
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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.
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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.
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A matter of minutes before we see him on the tarmac there.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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The conversation ended with Orbán saying good-bye in Russian, it was reported.
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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.
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Meanwhile, the opposition leader Péter Magyar has responded to JD Vance’s visit rejecting what he described as “interference in Hungarian elections.”
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opposition leader Péter Magyar addresses people during an election rally in Kiskunhalas, Hungary.","caption":"Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar addresses people during an election rally in Kiskunhalas, Hungary.","credit":"Photograph: Bela Szandelszky/AP"}},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
He said:
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“No foreign country may interfere in Hungarian elections.
\n
This is our country. Hungarian history is not written in Washington, Moscow, or Brussels – it is written in Hungary’s streets and squares.
\n
Five days to go!”
\n
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Ashifa Kassam and Flora Garamvolgyi in Budapest
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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.
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president Donald Trump (right), US vice-president JD Vance (left) and Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orbán (center) during the bilateral lunch in Cabinet Room located in the White House in Washington DC. last November.","caption":"US president Donald Trump (right), US vice-president JD Vance (left) and Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orbán (center) during the bilateral lunch in Cabinet Room located in the White House in Washington DC. last November.","credit":"Photograph: The Washington Post/Getty Images"}},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
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.
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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.
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“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.”
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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.”
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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.
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If Orbán were to lose the elections, it would be a “crashing blow” for the Maga movement, said Heilbrunn.
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“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.”
","elementId":"4edf4a1c-cd42-489d-9280-06cd829f9308"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement","prefix":"Related: ","text":"Hungary pipeline false-flag claims swirl as JD Vance makes election intervention","elementId":"3c3185ff-3c7c-4bd5-b084-4ef664663fc5","role":"thumbnail","url":"https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/06/hungary-puts-gas-pipeline-under-military-protection-amid-false-flag-accusations"}],"attributes":{"pinned":false,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1775548364000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"08.52 BST","blockLastUpdated":1775548540000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"08.55 BST","blockFirstPublished":1775548540000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"08.55 BST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"08.55","title":"Vance’s visit highlights Orbán’s importance for Maga movement","contributors":[],"primaryDateLine":"Tue 7 Apr 2026 13.53 BST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Tue 7 Apr 2026 08.21 BST"},{"id":"69d4a96e8f080da25b48c4c1","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
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.
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vice-president JD Vance waves as he boards Air Force Two to depart for Budapest, at Joint Base Andrews, Md.","caption":"US vice-president JD Vance waves as he boards Air Force Two to depart for Budapest, at Joint Base Andrews, Md.","credit":"Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/AP"}},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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I will bring you all the lines from Budapest here.
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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.
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It’s Tuesday, 7 April 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
","elementId":"f048d98d-bc37-4266-b978-4e5e90a608dd"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
Good morning.
","elementId":"be578408-da0a-48ec-a6ea-be3ed342dff1"}],"attributes":{"pinned":false,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1775546491000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"08.21 BST","blockLastUpdated":1775546487000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"08.21 BST","blockFirstPublished":1775546491000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"08.21 BST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"08.21","title":"Morning opening: JD Vance in Budapest","contributors":[{"name":"Jakub Krupa","imageUrl":"https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2025/01/22/Jakub_Krupa.jpg?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=41cc9981ec7b067e2d3b5391c5a68a4f","largeImageUrl":"https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2025/01/22/Jakub_Krupa.png?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=4a039a2b765744058f3c2c677268513e"}],"primaryDateLine":"Tue 7 Apr 2026 13.53 BST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Tue 7 Apr 2026 08.21 BST"}],"filterKeyEvents":false,"id":"key-events-carousel-mobile","renderingTarget":"Web","serverTime":1775566757182}”>
Key events
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13m ago
JD Vance criticises alleged EU interference in Hungarian elections as he effectively endorses Orbán with some interference of his own – snap analysis
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32m ago
‘Viktor Orbán is going to win the next election in Hungary,’ JD Vance says
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38m ago
JD Vance says EU made ‘huge mistake’ to cut off oil, natural gas from ‘the East’
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44m ago
Vance praises Orbán’s role in talks on ending Russian war against Ukraine
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49m ago
JD Vance blasts ‘bureaucrats’ in Brussels for ‘one of worst examples of foreign election interference’ in Hungary
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53m ago
Vance praises Orbán’s record on mediating with Russia, Ukraine
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55m ago
Orbán stands with US in defence of Christian western civilisation, JD Vance says
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1h ago
Vance hails Orbán as Europe’s ‘single most profound leader in Europe’ on energy security
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1h ago
‘I want to help as much as I can possibly help,’ JD Vance says in full-out endorsement of Orbán
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1h ago
Trump’s elections ‘ushered golden era in our relations,’ Orbán says
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1h ago
‘President loves you and so do I,’ JD Vance tells Orbán in Budapest
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2h ago
Sarkozy insists he is innocent as he faces fresh trial over Libyan funding allegations
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4h ago
JD Vance arrives in Budapest – in pictures
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4h ago
JD Vance’s visit signals ‘golden age’ of Hungarian-US relations, foreign minister says
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4h ago
JD Vance lands in Budapest
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4h ago
Orbán told Putin he was ‘at his service’ when discussing potential US-Russia summit on Ukraine, Bloomberg reports
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5h ago
‘Hungarian history is not written in Washington, Moscow or Brussels,’ Magyar responds to Vance’s visit
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Vance’s visit highlights Orbán’s importance for Maga movement
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Morning opening: JD Vance in Budapest
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.”
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
Angelique Chrisafis
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.”
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…