Vance heads to Hungary to back Orbán before elections
Photo: US Vice President JD Vance (Getty Images)
US Vice President JD Vance is planning to visit Hungary in the coming days to support the pro-Russian and pro-Trump Prime Minister Viktor Orbán ahead of the elections, according to Reuters.
Vance’s trip has been organized to publicly support Orbán, who next month will face the most challenging elections since coming to power in 2010. Polls show that the prime minister’s party, Fidesz, is currently trailing the opposition force, Tisa, led by Peter Magyar.
Plans from the US top leadership could change due to the escalation of the military conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Iran. But if the visit takes place, Vance will become the second high-ranking US official to visit Budapest recently.
In February 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Hungary. At that time, Rubio said that Orbán's leadership was "crucial" for US interests and hinted at Washington’s willingness to provide financial support to Hungary if Fidesz wins.
US President Donald Trump has also repeatedly called Orbán a "strong leader" and a model of conservatism. Trump supporters view the Hungarian prime minister’s policies as an example to follow, especially on immigration and the protection of traditional values.
Hungarian elections: latest news
For the first time in many years, Orbán faces a real possibility of losing power. However, the polls do not reflect the full picture — the opposition Tisa’s lead is visible nationwide, but elections are decided in single-member districts, where Fidesz has deeply entrenched networks of influence in villages and small towns.
At the same time, Orbán is actively using the topic of Ukraine in the elections. In fact, he is portraying Ukraine as "Hungary’s enemy." It has gone so far that on March 11, Orbán published a video claiming that his children and grandchildren were allegedly receiving threats from Ukrainians.
For more on the elections, see the RBC-Ukraine material Spies, GRU and kompromat: Shadow battle behind Orbán's push to stay in power.
