Viktor Orbán to Meet Donald Trump in Washington Ahead of Proposed Putin Summit
Hungary’s prime minister visits U.S. to seek backing for Trump–Putin summit and sanction relief, while consolidating his domestic standing
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday as part of his efforts to pave the way for a further summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin and to secure an exemption from U.S. energy sanctions.
The agenda includes discussions of Russian–Ukrainian peace prospects, Hungary’s energy ties, and broader U.S.–Hungary cooperation across defence, economy and finance.
Orbán, who has proposed hosting the Trump–Putin encounter in Budapest, will ask for Washington’s support for Hungary’s continued imports of Russian gas and crude oil.
His advisors say his immediate priority is to invite Trump to visit Budapest ahead of Hungary’s upcoming parliamentary elections in April.
They believe a visit would reinforce Orbán’s international standing and galvanise his conservative base.
At a press conference in Budapest, Orbán’s chief of staff, Gergely Gulyás, described the dialogue as “an opportunity for the two heads of state to … determine the roadmap that could lead to a U.S.–Russian meeting and, through that, to a Russian–Ukrainian peace agreement.” Meanwhile, Polish officials warned that should Putin travel to the Budapest summit he faces possible arrest under an International Criminal Court warrant if he crosses the airspace of court-member states, illustrating the legal and diplomatic difficulty of such a meeting under current arrangements.
While Orbán frames his efforts as an international mediation role, analysts note that the domestic political calculus is substantial: senior Hungarian officials expect a Trump visit to Hungary to be leveraged for electoral advantage and describe the Trump–Orbán meeting as “a major political favour.” The Hungarian leader has built ties with both Trump and Putin, a positioning that has drawn criticism from European counterparts who see it as aligning Hungary too closely with Moscow.
The U.S. administration has not confirmed any decision on the Ukraine summit or sanction waiver, signalling that the White House will use the meeting to test how seriously Hungary’s requests align with Washington’s strategic approach to Russia.
The outcome will offer early insight into Trump’s posture on Russia and the resilience of Europe’s united front, as well as Orbán’s standing ahead of a key domestic election.
The agenda includes discussions of Russian–Ukrainian peace prospects, Hungary’s energy ties, and broader U.S.–Hungary cooperation across defence, economy and finance.
Orbán, who has proposed hosting the Trump–Putin encounter in Budapest, will ask for Washington’s support for Hungary’s continued imports of Russian gas and crude oil.
His advisors say his immediate priority is to invite Trump to visit Budapest ahead of Hungary’s upcoming parliamentary elections in April.
They believe a visit would reinforce Orbán’s international standing and galvanise his conservative base.
At a press conference in Budapest, Orbán’s chief of staff, Gergely Gulyás, described the dialogue as “an opportunity for the two heads of state to … determine the roadmap that could lead to a U.S.–Russian meeting and, through that, to a Russian–Ukrainian peace agreement.” Meanwhile, Polish officials warned that should Putin travel to the Budapest summit he faces possible arrest under an International Criminal Court warrant if he crosses the airspace of court-member states, illustrating the legal and diplomatic difficulty of such a meeting under current arrangements.
While Orbán frames his efforts as an international mediation role, analysts note that the domestic political calculus is substantial: senior Hungarian officials expect a Trump visit to Hungary to be leveraged for electoral advantage and describe the Trump–Orbán meeting as “a major political favour.” The Hungarian leader has built ties with both Trump and Putin, a positioning that has drawn criticism from European counterparts who see it as aligning Hungary too closely with Moscow.
The U.S. administration has not confirmed any decision on the Ukraine summit or sanction waiver, signalling that the White House will use the meeting to test how seriously Hungary’s requests align with Washington’s strategic approach to Russia.
The outcome will offer early insight into Trump’s posture on Russia and the resilience of Europe’s united front, as well as Orbán’s standing ahead of a key domestic election.
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