A statement from Trump’s campaign did not mention Ukraine but said the pair on Friday discussed issues affecting both nations, including their respective border security…reports Asian Lite News
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says former US President Donald Trump has told him that he would “not give a penny” to the war in Ukraine.
Orban related the comments by Trump, who is running in November’s presidential election, during an interview with state broadcaster M1 late on Sunday after he travelled to Florida to meet Trump.
“He has a very clear vision, which is hard not to agree with. He says the following: First of all, he will not give a penny in the Ukraine-Russia war,” Orban said in the interview.
There was no immediate response from Trump’s team on these comments from Orban.
Orban often calls for a ceasefire and peace talks in the Russia-Ukraine war, which recently entered its third year. He also argues Trump is best qualified to end the conflict, having expressed hope for his return to power.
“That is why the war will end because it is obvious that Ukraine cannot stand on its own feet. … If the Americans do not give money, the Europeans alone will not be able to finance this war. And then the war is over,” he said.
A statement from Trump’s campaign did not mention Ukraine but said the pair on Friday discussed issues affecting both nations, including their respective border security.
Orban angered fellow European Union leaders by meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in October and has maintained ties with the Kremlin since Russia invaded Ukraine. He has also spoken out against Western sanctions on Moscow.
President Joe Biden criticised the Trump-Orban meeting, saying the Hungarian leader was “looking for dictatorship”. European leaders have long been nervous that another Trump presidency would mean waning US support for both Ukraine and NATO.
Orban, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s few allies left in Europe, frames his position as “pro-peace” despite the fact that it would effectively reward Moscow for waging war against a weaker neighbor and allow it to sue for peace on its own terms.
Trump, who last week effectively locked up the Republican nomination for president, has taken a similar isolationist approach as he campaigns to retake the White House in November. He has vowed to end the war in Ukraine, if he’s elected, within 24 hours – a process that could happen only on Putin’s terms and reward his illegal invasion.
Orban and Trump, both far-right populists defined by anti-immigrant and demagogic rhetoric, have long expressed mutual admiration for each other – despite the fact that critics say Orbán has weakened the country’s democratic institutions since returning to power in 2010.
Trump’s lavish praise for Orban has sparked concern that he is doubling down on his support for autocrats as Western democracies struggle to stay united in their support for Ukraine.
“He likes dealing with other big guys, and big guys like Erdogan in Turkey get to put people in jail and you don’t have to ask anybody’s permission. He kind of likes that,” John Bolton, Trump’s former national security adviser said.