JD Vance praises Viktor Orban, accuses EU and Ukraine of meddling in Hungarian elections
US Vice President JD Vance praised Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban for his leadership on energy security, calling him a model for other European leaders to follow amid the continent's ongoing energy crisis at a joint press conference in Budapest on April 7.
Despite the geopolitical tension, Vance paid a visit to Budapest to endorse US President Donald Trump's strongest EU ally, just days before the pivotal elections on April 12. After 16 years of supermajority rule, Hungary's veteran leader is at risk of losing out to a younger challenger, former Fidesz cadre Peter Magyar, whose grassroots movement has become the largest political bloc in two years.
During a joint press conference at Orban's office in the Castle, Vance emphasised the importance of energy independence and affordability for European families, stating that EU leaders should have followed Hungary's energy policies under Orban.
While energy prices were high across the continent, Hungary had managed to mitigate these increases more effectively than most, he said. Analysts point out that while Hungary previously benefited from a clear price advantage in purchasing crude oil from Russia, a situation that held before the Iran war, this advantage did not translate into lower prices for consumers.
Although the specifics of Hungary's long-term gas contract with Gazprom, signed in 2021, remain confidential, trade data indicate that Budapest is not currently experiencing a price benefit. Reports suggest that the pricing follows the TTF benchmark, with a two-month delay.
He added that his visit also sought to highlight the moral cooperation between the U.S. and Hungary, driven by shared values of Western civilisation and Christian traditions.
He accused Brussels bureaucrats of trying to undermine Hungary's economy, energy independence, and political leadership, calling the level of interference from the European Union "truly disgraceful." Vance said,
"Hungary is facing one of the worst examples of foreign election interference that I've ever seen. The bureaucrats in Brussels have tried to destroy the economy of Hungary and drive up consumer prices, simply because they hate "this guy", he said.
Vance also expressed his support for Orban ahead of Hungary's parliamentary election, although he said the United States will cooperate with Hungary's next government, regardless of who leads it, when asked by Reuters.
"I am confident that Viktor Orban is, of course, going to win", he added.
Orban was heard saying: "That is the plan," while making a hand gesture that roughly conveyed "not so sure." In an interview with the radical right Ultrahang portal, he said the gesture signalled that the battle is still open and said: "We're gaining momentum now as we can focus on the campaign from March 15, while opposition does not have the burden of governance," he added.
Opposition leader Peter Magyar said Vance's comment at the press conference indicates that Washington is no longer counting on Orban's election victory. The new Tisza-led government would regard the US as a key partner, both as a Nato ally and an economic partner, and he extended an invitation to the US leaders to visit Budapest for the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution on October 23.
At the same time on X, and at his many rallies over the past weeks, Magyar stressed that Hungarian history is not written in Washington, Moscow, or Brussels; it is written in Hungary's streets and squares.
Vance also praised Orban's diplomatic efforts, saying he "has done more than anyone to help the U.S. leadership understand what Ukraine and Russia need to achieve peace."
In a later interview with pro-government Index.hu he said that the prime minister's international role extends beyond Hungarian politics. "Viktor is one of those statesmen in the world whom we can rely on. He is truly capable of mediating and engaging in dialogue with both the Ukrainians and the Russians. For this reason, he is an invaluable asset to us. This is why I support Viktor. The opposition is not my focus," he added.
Vance said that "elements within the Ukrainian intelligence services" were trying "to put their thumb on the scale" of US and Hungarian elections, without providing evidence.
Later at a campaign rally at a Budapest sports hall, dubbed Hungarian-US Friendship Day 2026, Vance put Trump on speakerphone. The US president called Orban "a fantastic man" and praised their "tremendous relationship".
"Remember this: he didn't allow people to storm your country and invade your country as other people have," he said, referring to Orban's anti-immigration policies.
In his speech, the Hungarian leader heaped praise on the strategic partnership and cooperation with the US, thanks to Trump, who "put an end to the power of the globalist elite ruling in the name of ideologies and proclaimed the era of strong nations."
Bilateral relations entered into a new golden age, he said, highlighting tangible benefits such as visa-free travel, economic collaboration, joint defence initiatives, and shared energy projects.
In his speech, he underscored the "civilisational and spiritual" foundation of the Hungarian-American friendship, invoking the shared values of freedom and independence as central to the relationship.
The Hungarian prime minister devoted much of his speech to criticising the European Union, framing Brussels as a stronghold of progressive forces that are "holding Europe captive." He accused the EU of imposing harmful policies, such as gender ideology, open borders, and interventionist foreign policies that have led to economic instability.
He sharply criticised the EU's sanctions regime targeting Russia, calling them "irresponsible" and likening them to "suicide." He warned that these sanctions would result in skyrocketing energy prices and the depletion of Europe's energy supplies.
He lashed out at Brussels for "not representing us, but colluding with the Ukrainians" in the energy blockade of Hungary, and for trying to trivialise the "attempted sabotage of the TurkStream pipeline."
Orban concluded his speech by urging a united front between freedom-loving Americans and Hungarians to preserve Western civilisation. He identified three key areas for action: defeating progressive forces in Brussels, ending the war in Ukraine, and resolving the energy crisis.
Orban framed Hungary's election as a decision between two paths: one of submission, where Hungary loses significance, where the country would be forced to send soldiers and money to Ukraine. The other path is one of freedom, where the nation stands proudly on its own. He urged voters to support peace, Hungary's security, and its future, believing that choosing freedom could spark a European "reclamation movement" of patriotic governments.
