Hungarian Prime Minister Predicts Trump's Strategy to End Ukraine War

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán believes that if former US President Donald Trump were to return to power in November, he would bring an end to the war in Ukraine by cutting off funding to Kyiv.

Orbán expressed in an interview with Hungarian broadcaster M1 on Sunday that Trump has a clear vision. According to Orbán, Trump's plan involves refusing to provide any financial support for the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. This, in turn, would lead to the war coming to a halt as Ukraine would not be able to sustain itself without external assistance.

Orbán’s recent comments followed a meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. The former president and a small group of close advisers spent about an hour with Orbán at the Florida resort on Friday night, according to sources familiar with the situation. One source described it as a casual "social meeting" with no specific agenda, while another source characterized it as "friendly."

Orbán has been a consistent critic of the European Union and NATO's efforts to support Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion two years ago. Hungary has continuously slowed down negotiations for Western aid, but recently agreed to a 50 billion euro aid package for Kyiv. Additionally, Hungary has finally approved Sweden's accession to NATO after initially resisting for several months.

Orbán stated that if both Americans and Europeans do not provide financial support and weapons, the war will come to an end. Without American funding, Europeans alone cannot sustain the war effort, resulting in its conclusion. CNN has contacted the Trump campaign for a response.

Orbán, who is one of the few remaining allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Europe, presents his stance as "pro-peace." This is despite the fact that his position would essentially reward Moscow for initiating a war against a smaller neighboring country and enable Russia to negotiate for peace on its own terms.

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban and former US President Donald Trump are seen at the White House in 2019.

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban and former US President Donald Trump are seen at the White House in 2019.

Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

Trump, who secured the Republican nomination for president last week, is taking a similar isolationist approach as he campaigns for the White House in November. He has promised to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours if elected, but this would only happen on Putin's terms, rewarding his illegal invasion.

Orbán and Trump, both far-right populists known for their anti-immigrant and demagogic rhetoric, have openly admired each other for a long time. Critics argue that Orbán has weakened Hungary's democratic institutions since coming back to power in 2010.

Trump's enthusiastic endorsement of Orban has raised worries that he is strengthening his backing for authoritarian leaders while Western democracies face challenges in maintaining unity in their support for Ukraine.

According to John Bolton, Trump's ex-national security adviser, Trump prefers to interact with powerful leaders like Erdogan in Turkey, who have the ability to imprison individuals without needing approval from anyone. This is something that Trump seems to admire.

Trump's former advisers have mentioned that he often praised Putin and some of them think that if he gets re-elected, there could be a significant change in how America sees itself and its global role. This might include the US withdrawing from NATO and decreasing its involvement in other defense alliances.

John Bolton expressed concern that NATO's future could be at risk.

CNN’s Jim Sciutto, Kristen Holmes and Andrew Millman contributed to this report

Editor's P/S:

The implications of former US President Donald Trump's return to power on the ongoing war in Ukraine are profound. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's belief that Trump would cut off funding to Kyiv and end the conflict raises questions about the future of international support for Ukraine and the possibility of rewarding Russian aggression. Orbán's close relationship with Putin and his consistent stance against Western aid for Ukraine underscore the complexities of the situation, particularly in light of Trump's own history of admiration for Putin and his isolationist rhetoric.

The potential for a significant shift in US foreign policy under a Trump presidency raises concerns about the stability of NATO and the unity of Western democracies in supporting Ukraine. Trump's past statements suggesting a withdrawal from NATO and a reduced involvement in defense alliances could further weaken the international response to Russia's invasion. The war in Ukraine has highlighted the importance of international cooperation and collective action, and any change in US policy would undoubtedly have far-reaching consequences for the conflict and the global security landscape.