Orbán could become UN chief with backing from the US, Russia and China

Orbán's name has come up repeatedly in Washington's discussions about a preferred successor to the current UN chief. US officials told their Chinese and Russian counterparts that they were looking for "someone like Orbán," and both sides agreed. The United States then approached the Hungarian politician directly and invited him to enter the race.

According to sources, Orbán responded favorably to the proposal but has reservations because of his image as a nationalist politician. He does not want to announce his candidacy until he is confident he can win. Orbán himself declined to comment.

According to a State Department official, Orbán would secure the support of eight of the 15 members of the UN Security Council, and potentially 10. US officials and an official from another country stressed that when Washington, Moscow, and Beijing agree on a Security Council decision, they usually get their way.

The key question is where the United Kingdom and France stand, as both countries also have veto power. According to the newspaper, they may refrain from blocking a candidate backed by a majority of the Security Council and the other three permanent members. London and Paris have not stated their official positions.

"Dream candidate"

A State Department official called Orbán "the dream MAGA-conservative candidate" because of his fight against mass migration, liberal civil society organizations, and influential circles within Hungary's courts and media.

Trump and Vice President JD Vance are expected to support Orbán if he enters the race. An announcement may come only after the US midterm elections on November 3.

Why this is raising concerns

The newspaper notes that with Orbán at the helm of the UN, the Secretary-General's role could turn into that of a defender of Russian President Vladimir Putin and other authoritarian leaders. Orbán's close ties with Moscow and Beijing, as well as his policies in Hungary, would inevitably come under scrutiny if he entered the race.

Other candidates include Lana Nusseibeh, a diplomat from the United Arab Emirates whose chances are reportedly improving. The next informal Security Council vote is scheduled for Wednesday. Current UN Secretary-General António Guterres' term expires on December 31.

Orbán has not been officially nominated, and none of the three countries has publicly declared its support for his candidacy.

Orbán lost his position as prime minister following Hungary's April election, despite Trump's endorsement and Vance's personal campaigning on his behalf. He will no longer be able to return to the premiership: Hungary's parliament has adopted an amendment limiting the time in office to eight years. Ukrainian Ambassador to Hungary Fedir Shandor told RBC-Ukraine about the restriction.

During his years in power, Orbán became the Kremlin's closest ally in the EU and regularly blocked aid to Ukraine. One of the most high-profile scandals was the March incident involving cash-in-transit employees from Ukraine's state-owned Oschadbank.

On March 5, Hungarian law enforcement officers detained Ukrainian employees and seized millions of dollars and euros, as well as gold, from two vehicles. The men were kept in handcuffs for hours and transported blindfolded, in what amounted to violations of three international conventions.

Hungary returned the assets on May 6, and the case against the cash-in-transit employees was closed in August due to the absence of a crime. In early October, Orbán distanced himself from the order to detain the Ukrainians, claiming that law enforcement officers had allegedly acted on their own.