US Vice President Vance supports Orban in the Hungarian election campaign

"The President of the United States (Donald Trump) and the Prime Minister of Hungary have been able to do wonderful things together," he said at a joint press conference with Orban in Budapest.

Vance had arrived in the Hungarian capital shortly beforehand under enormous security precautions. Entire streets were cordoned off, as were the access routes to Budapest's international airport. Passengers had to walk 35 to 40 minutes with their luggage to reach the airport, Hungarian media reported.

At the press conference, Vance praised his Hungarian host as a "wise statesman" who Trump and he were happy to listen to in order to make progress in the - currently stalled - peace efforts to settle the Russian war against Ukraine. "Viktor was better than anyone to help us understand what the Ukrainians need, what the Russians need, to achieve peace," he said.

Orban is well behind in the polls

Orban is facing a parliamentary election next Sunday that he could lose. Most polls put the Tisza party of his challenger Peter Magyar well ahead of Orban's Fidesz party. The right-wing populist head of government has been criticized in the EU for dismantling democracy and the rule of law. His closeness to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose narrative he disseminates in the media he controls, is also striking.

Vance called on Hungarian voters not to pay attention to who is for or against Europe or the USA, but who is there for them, the Hungarian people. "I have seen a man who has fought fiercely for the interests of Hungary and I am here to support him in this election cycle," he said, referring to Orban. However, election researchers assume that Vance's visit will have little impact on the dynamics of the Hungarian election campaign.

Vance rails against the "bureaucrats" of the EU

At the same time, Vance took a hard line against the European Union and its officials - its "bureaucrats". With his trip to Budapest, he wanted to "send a message to everyone, but especially to the bureaucrats in Brussels who have done everything they could to hold down the Hungarian people because they don't like the leader who is standing up for the Hungarian people", he explained.

The "Brussels bureaucrats" had tried to destroy the Hungarian economy and make it "less independent in terms of energy supply". In fact, Hungary was granted an exemption from the outset when it came to purchasing Russian oil, which is subject to EU sanctions. However, this will expire next year.

Orban emphasized that Hungary is still available to host a peace summit in Budapest proposed by Trump "if the US and the Russians think that such a summit with them is necessary", he said. According to Vance, Budapest is the "ideal place" for such a summit. However, in the shadow of the Iran war started by Trump and Israel, there is visibly no movement in the efforts to achieve peace between Russia and Ukraine.

Washington works with any election winner

In response to a journalist's question aimed at a possible election victory by Orban's challenger Magyar, Vance said: "Of course we will work with whoever wins the election. (...) But Viktor Orban will win this election and I am very confident that our positive relationship will continue. Isn't that right, Viktor?" he said. "That's the plan," Orban replied.

Trump last expressed his support for Orban in March of this year: "He (Orban) has my complete and total approval," Trump said in a video message to a conference in Budapest, which Orban also attended. "I hope he wins (the election), and I hope he wins handily," Trump continued. Orban is a "strong leader".

The Hungarian had already allied himself with the US president before Trump's first term in office, which lasted from 2017 to 2021. Many in Trump's circles, including Vance, see Orban, who has been in power without interruption since 2010, as a role model for creating a semi-authoritarian system of power.