Orbán Heads to White House to Discuss Trump-Putin Peace Talks

On Friday, Hungary's far-right Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will make his way to the White House, aiming to facilitate yet another summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Orbán's advisers suggest that this meeting could be pivotal in bringing an end to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

crypto market During his visit, Orbán intends to propose that the summit be hosted in Budapest. Additionally, he will seek an exemption from U.S. sanctions that target Russian energy. This will serve as a significant test of Trump's previously tough stance on the Kremlin, especially after Trump accused Putin of delaying negotiations aimed at resolving the crisis.

Insiders reveal that Orbán's primary objective is to persuade Trump to visit Hungary, especially as he grapples with unprecedented challenges from a new opposition leader ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for April. Orbán's advisers believe that a Trump visit would not only solidify Orbán's status as a statesman but also galvanize his conservative support base.

A source from a Hungarian government foreign policy institution stated, “Orbán wants Trump to come to Budapest before the elections. This is a top priority. They will discuss the Russian gas issue, but the thing Orbán cares about the most is the elections.”

Political analyst Zsuzsanna Végh from the German Marshall Fund remarked that a visit from the U.S. president would represent a “major political favor” to Orbán. Notably, Trump has been absent from several significant international events in Budapest, including a series of CPAC conferences.

Critics often label Orbán as Putin's Trojan horse in the EU, yet he has been nurturing his ties with Trump since the latter's first term while simultaneously establishing a global far-right network that spans from South America to Europe. The Trump administration has consistently praised Orbán's Hungary, presenting it as a model of governance and referring to it as a “conservative Disneyland.”

According to Gergely Gulyás, Orbán's chief of staff, Friday's discussions will provide an opportunity for both leaders to “determine the roadmap that could lead to a US–Russian meeting and, through that, to a Russian–Ukrainian peace agreement.” However, a previous attempt to arrange such a meeting fell through when Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov adopted a hardline stance during a phone discussion with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Despite this setback, observers believe Orbán will likely revisit the issue, aligning with Trump's aspiration to position himself as a peacemaker in global conflicts.

Arranging a summit between Trump and Putin, who has been indicted by the International Criminal Court, would send a strong message to other European leaders, according to Max Bergmann, director of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Such a scenario would allow Putin to be “housed and greeted warmly in the EU,” which could provoke significant reactions from European leadership.

Bergmann noted that Orbán has played a less obstructive role in Europe since Trump's re-election, as the U.S. administration has engaged more closely with other European leaders than anticipated. U.S. officials have indicated that Trump has expressed a clear desire for Europe to sever its energy ties with Russia, underscoring the complexities of these international dynamics.

As Orbán prepares for his White House visit, the stakes are high—not only for the potential peace talks between Trump and Putin but also for his domestic political future. With elections looming, Orbán’s ability to leverage his relationship with Trump could determine his political trajectory in Hungary. The outcome of this visit could significantly influence both regional stability and Orbán's standing on the global stage.