European leaders rarely weigh in the American elections before action, but extremist right -wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban ignored these agreements.
“If Mr. Trump returns, we will open multiple bottles of champagne.” Ukrainian war Before he took office – something Trump himself Pledge.
Orbán and Trump has a friendly relationship. Hungarian leader Trump supported I visited him In Mar Lago in July after attending the NATO summit in Washington. Trump often talks warmly about Urban in political gatherings and in media interviews.
When Vice President Kamala Harris said during Discussion With Trump that world leaders were “laughing” to the former president and called him “a shame”, Trump defended himself by referring to Urban’s evaluation.
“The most respectable and most feared person is Donald Trump,” said the former president.
“Increased concern”
This positive evaluation of Europe is not shared by many other American politicians. Several Republicans in the Senate traveled to Hungary to meet civil society representatives and anxiety about Russia’s growing influence in Hungary.
“Our delegation and many of our colleagues in Congress are increasingly concerned about the in -depth and expanding relationship with Russia and the erosion of its continuous democratic institutions,” He said Republican Senator Jerry Moran from Kansas, who led a delegation to Hungary earlier this month. “It is our common interest in our countries to work closely. We urge Hungary to listen to its allies’ fears and dispose of them.”
Urban was in power for 14 years, and previously did as a leader of Hungary before that. He has strengthened closer relations with Russia from any of its European Union counterparts. He extracted sharp criticism from the bloc to impose narrow restrictions on immigration and LGBTQ+ rights, and to the limit of freedom of the press and the independence of Hungary’s courts. The European Union accused its government of violating the standards of the Union on the rule of law and democracy.
The Urban government was at odds with Washington due to the Russian origins frozen by American and European governments after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The United States and Europe want to use some of the Russian assets to finance loans to Ukraine, but the Urban government wants to stop any decision on this even after the US presidential elections.
“We believe that this issue – the prolongation of Russian sanctions – after the US elections, said. “We have to see in any direction the US administration continues in the future in this case.”
It is not clear what the second Trump administration will mean for the future of sanctions against Russia, but the former president talks wonderfully about Russian President Vladimir Putin, and he has repeatedly refused to say whether he wanted Ukraine to prevail in the war by Moscow.
Andrew Harr/Bloomberg via Getty Images
In a new book, journalist Bob Woodward Claims Trump has spoken with Putin up to seven times since he left his position. A Kremlin spokesman denied such calls.
Urban suggested that he had a feeling of Trump’s plans for Ukraine. in interview With an Hungarian port, discuss how Trump intends to end the war. He said that Trump “will not give a penny” to Ukraine and the war will end because Ukraine “cannot stand on its feet.”
Urban said: “If the Americans do not offer money and weapons and the Europeans do not give them, then this war has ended,” Urban said. “If the Americans do not make money, the Europeans will not be able to finance this war on their own, after which the war will end.”
The United States has provided more than $ 174 billion of military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine since the war began.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Monday that if Trump is not re -elected, Europe will have to prepare for a very difficult period. “
Szijjártó said: “We believe that Trump’s victory can lead to a change in international political life with which it will bring more peace than ever.”
Urban described Trump as a “refreshing” and “refreshing” personality among world leaders.
“I love Marakex and he is like this,” Urban He said In March. “One of the most boring items in my profession, the leaders get more and more boring. So, we need new, refreshing men.”
“A dangerous suggestion”
The US Ambassador to Hungary David Bersmann criticized the Urban’s open preference for Trump.
“Prime Minister Urban, who is not baseless, is that the United States government is trying to overthrow his government, publicly calls for the political defeat of the President of the United States and actively participates in American party political events,” Pressman He said At an event in March, he celebrated the twenty -fifth anniversary of Hungary’s accession to NATO. “Hungary defenders for electoral candidates around the world from Poland to Brazil, all during the interruption of foreign interference here at home.”
In July, Bersman said Urban reminded him of “daily who wants to win in these elections, who will vote if he is an American.”
“We do not have another ally or partner – not one of them – similarly, publicly, publicly and a candidate for a specific candidate in elections in the United States of America,” Bersman said, “The Hungarian leader was” apparently convinced that, regardless of that, he only helps him to Hungary – or at least help him personally. “
He warned that “the bilateral relationship is a dangerous proposal,” and does not serve the best interests of the Hungarian people.
The ambassador said: “The current Hungary government may see its relationship with the United States a” political “issue, but I assure you that the United States of America is not.
Urban’s role has expanded on the world stage in recent years. When Finland and Sweden sought NATO membership, Hungary and Turkey intercepted. Hungary was the last member of NATO to agree to the joining of Sweden to the alliance.
In July, when Hungary assumed the circular presidency for a period of six months of the European Union ruling body, the European Commission, Urban Al -Shaar, adopted.Make Europe great again“Although the role is largely symbolic, he traveled to what he called” peace tasks “to Kiev, Moscow, China, Washington and Florida.
The trip to Moscow of the leaders of the European Union and NATO, Jeans Stoltenberg, then the Secretary -General of the Atlantic Defense Alliance, said that Urban’s visit does not represent the bloc or its Ukrainian policies.
Alexander Nonov/Frano App via Getti Emiez
Urban also adopted a tactic used by some border state rulers in the United States, where they wandered immigrants from Hungary to Brussels. The European Union ordered Hungary to pay a fine of 200 million euros (about 217 million dollars) to violate the asylum protocols in the bloc, but Budapest ignored it. The European Union has since withheld funding from Hungary.
The strict enforcement of the immigration laws apparently disturbed migration. There were only 31 asylum claims registered in the country in 2023, according to L. I am numbers.
“If Brussels continues to insist on its decision to punish us to defend the borders of the European Union, they can get what they want,” Urban books On X. “We will transport illegal immigrants who spend the door of Hungary to the main square in Brussels.”
Elon Musk, who donated dozens of millions of dollars for Trump’s re -election efforts, is also an explicit critic of illegal immigration, to reply“Good idea” on the X, which he owns.
Slovakia
Russia’s sphere of influence reaches beyond Hungary.
Slovakia also opposes NATO policies towards Ukraine. During the era of national Prime Minister Robert Fico, who returned to power last fall, Slovakia stopped military aid to Ukraine and suggested that European Union sanctions be lifted on Russia.
Fico did not commented directly on the elections waving on the horizon, which is not explicit like Urban when it comes to American policy. But he made Trump’s preference. After an attempt to live Trump in July, Fico, who They survived an assassination attempt In May, he rushed to blame Trump’s political opponents, saying they tried to “close it.”
“And when they do not succeed, they bother the audience that some of the poor take a gun,” Fico He said In a social media publication.
Overcoming Zawrzel/Nurphoto via Getty Images
Like Urban, Fico has Propagate Trump will end the war in Ukraine before taking office if he was re -elected.
“I think this is because the United States has a complete impact in Ukraine,” he said.
Fico, who heads the populist and national party, wants to reformulate relations with Russia. After Urban left Moscow in July, Fico told the Slovakia outlet that he could have joined Urban, had it not been for his wounds from the assassination attempt.
Defense minister filed a complaint against Fico ancestor to donate Mig-29 fighters in Slovakia to Ukraine without parliamentary approval.
Democratic Senator Mark Warner of Virginia said in a hearing in May that Russian efforts in Slovakia should be a warning to the United States. Warner, who heads the chosen intelligence committee, said the Slovak government has become a supporter of the Kremlin. He pointed out that in 2022, he supported more than 75 % of the Ukraine population, but said that the most famous Russian efforts reflected public opinion and were able to persuade most of the Slovak caused by the United States in the war.
Warner said: “A wide range of media, open source research, and other sources have been the same as the Russian election campaigns in the Slovak elections,” Warner said.
Energy is one of the stimulating factors behind the desire of Hungary and Slovakia at a rapid end of the Ukraine war, Russia. Both countries have long relied on the incomplete Russian oil and gas, which is transported across Ukraine. Ukraine’s agreement to allow the transfer of fuel ends at the end of the year, and Ukrainian Prime Minister Dennis Shmeisal Fico informed that Kiev will not extend or renew the agreement.
Russia provided 80 % of Hungary oil and gas and 100 % of its nuclear energy in 2022, according to L. International Trade Committee. Two -thirds of the natural gas used in Slovakia came from Russia in 2023, based in Germany Friedrich Ebert Foundation I mentioned.
After the end of the agreement with Ukraine, Hungary You will import Russian energy through a pipeline that passes through Türkiye.
Hungary and Slovakia led a single effort to follow the friendly Moscow policies as members of the European Union and NATO.
In February, Trump threatened NATO members who failed to spend 2 % of national GDP for defense.
Mr. Trump said: “No, I will not protect you.” “In fact, I would like to encourage (Russia) to do what they want.”
Hungary and Slovakia reached 2 % of the defense expenses child It was released in June. Eight countries are still short.
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