Orbán welcomes a "golden age" of relations with the US

If US President Donald Trump could vote in Hungary's April 12 parliamentary elections, it's clear he would vote for his friend, the ultranationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who is running for reelection. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed Trump's clear support for Orbán on Monday, who faces his most challenging election since coming to power in 2010. Both Hungary and Hungary are considered rogue states of the European Union, and this is a show of support for their populist and conservative leaders. Rubio and Orbán agreed at a joint press conference that relations between Washington and Budapest are in "a golden age," which they attributed primarily to the friendship between Trump and the Hungarian leader. "I don't think it's any mystery, and it shouldn't be to anyone here, what the president thinks of you. I can tell you with confidence that President Trump is deeply committed to your success. Your success is our success," the US Secretary of State emphasized. Rubio believes that the perception, held by some, that Hungary is isolated on the international stage is mistaken. He cites bilateral agreements between Washington and Budapest and investments by US companies in the European country thanks to Orbán's "leadership," as evidence of this, since his government promotes a favorable business environment, in his view. Rubio and his Hungarian counterpart, Péter Szijjártó, signed a bilateral nuclear cooperation agreement in Budapest. Washington also granted Hungary a one-year exemption from US sanctions last year for using Russian oil and gas. a gesture that rewarded his dissent within the EUNow, the two countries have signed a new investment agreement. "For those who think Hungary is isolated, this agreement is a way of telling them that it isn't. There are American companies that want to invest in Europe," especially in countries with "strong leadership," Rubio said. As detailed at a press conference, the agreement includes 17 investments by American companies in Hungary and also "cheap energy." "We want this economy to prosper, we want this country to do well. It's in our country's interest, especially while you are the prime minister and leader of that country," the US Secretary of State added. "If you face financial difficulties, obstacles to growth, threats to the country's stability, I know President Trump will be very interested in finding ways to provide assistance," Rubio promised. Ukraine Negotiations

Orbán took the opportunity to praise Trump's handling of the conflict in Ukraine, for which, he said, he would continue to support peace efforts: "If Donald Trump had been president of the United States then, this war would not have started, and if he were not president now, there would be no possibility of stopping it." The Hungarian leader once again expressed his willingness to host a potential peace conference in Budapest and invited Trump to visit his country soon. "We don't intend to impose an agreement on anyone [...] We only want to help them. Because we believe it is an incredibly damaging and destructive war," Rubio added. He considered the US to be the only country capable of bringing representatives of Ukraine and Russia to the negotiating table: "I'm not here to insult anyone, but the United Nations hasn't been able to do it. There isn't any other country in Europe that has been able to do it."

Orbán trails in the polls

Rubio's visit to Budapest comes two months before crucial elections for Orbán: on April 12, Hungarians will vote in parliamentary elections in which, at the moment, the current prime minister is second in the polls, behind the opposition party Tisza, also conservative but clearly pro-European, led by Péter Magyar. If the elections were held this Sunday, 48% of voters would support Tisza, while 39% would support Orbán's party, according to a recent poll. The election result in Hungary could have significant repercussions for Europe, at a time when conservative and far-right political movements are increasingly strong on the continent.

Orbán, who returned to power in Hungary in 2010 after a first term between 1998 and 2002, presents himself as a champion of illiberal democracy and a scourge of immigration and the LGBTQ movement. The ultranationalist populist leader is a close ally of Trump and Putin and is highly critical of Brussels, which he considers a threat to Hungary and repeatedly accuses of trying to undermine his government by supporting the opposition.