US Vice President JD Vance is reportedly expected to travel to Hungary in the coming days in a move seen as bolstering pro-Russian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
The timing of Vance’s trip has not yet been finalized and remains fluid amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East, according to two people close to the matter speaking to Reuters.
Recent polling suggests the Hungarian leader’s nationalist Fidesz party is trailing behind rival Peter Magyar’s center-right Tisza as the April 12 election approaches.
In a bid to win votes, Orban has escalated his anti-Ukrainian rhetoric and made disparagement of President Volodymyr Zelensky the centrepiece of his campaign.
The potential trip follows a February visit to Budapest by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a sign of Washington’s support for Orban as he heads into what analysts describe as his most competitive race since first taking office in 2010.
The White House has not yet issued an official comment regarding Vance’s possible travel.
During his visit to Hungary, Rubio highlighted the strategic importance of Orban’s leadership for US interests, while signaling that the strength of bilateral ties could depend on the outcome of the upcoming ballot.
He also suggested Washington would be open to providing financial assistance to Budapest if required.
Orban has maintained a close relationship with US President Donald Trump, who has praised him as a “great leader” and hosted him at the White House in November.
In early January, Trump suggested that he could visit Budapest at some point in Hungary’s campaign period, but a date for the trip was never officially confirmed.
Far-right leaders from within Europe, including Marine Le Pen and Matteo Salvini, will convene at a rally in Budapest next Monday in order to express their support for the beleaguered premier.
Orban has sought to portray Magyar as a “puppet” of Brussels and Kyiv. Derogatory posters depicting the Ukrainian leader have cropped up all around Hungary to advertise the incumbent’s campaign.
According to a report in the Financial Times, the Kremlin has launched a covert disinformation campaign on social media aimed at helping Orban secure re-election.
Kyiv and Budapest are also locked in an oil dispute which has seen Orban accuse Ukrainian officials of refusing to repair the damaged Druzhba oil pipeline which previously carried Russian crude to Central Europe.