Hungary’s Nationalist Leader Warns of EU's Demise and Backs Trump in Anti-Western Speech
BAILE TUSNAD, Romania (AP) — In a striking address delivered on Saturday, Hungary’s nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán issued a dire warning about the future of the European Union, suggesting it is on a path toward oblivion. Speaking in Baile Tusnad, a town with a significant ethnic Hungarian population in central Romania, Orbán's remarks were steeped in anti-Western sentiment and underscored his support for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.
“Europe has given up defending its own interests,” Orbán declared, criticizing the EU for its unwavering alignment with the United States' pro-Democrat foreign policy, which he claimed is leading to self-destruction. He posited that a significant shift in global power dynamics is underway, one that has not been seen in 500 years, with countries like China, India, Pakistan, and Indonesia emerging as the new centers of influence.
Orbán's speech also included controversial allegations, claiming that the U.S. orchestrated the 2022 explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines, labeling it “an act of terrorism” directed by American authorities, although he provided no evidence to substantiate this claim.
His comments come amid increasing scrutiny from European partners, particularly following his recent trips to Moscow and Beijing, where he sought to mediate an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Orbán's relationship with the Kremlin is notably warmer than that of other EU leaders, raising eyebrows across the continent.
On the topic of Ukraine, Orbán expressed skepticism about the war-torn nation’s prospects for joining NATO or the EU, stating, “We Europeans do not have the money for it. Ukraine will revert to the position of a buffer state.” He suggested that any international security guarantees would need to be negotiated directly between the U.S. and Russia.
Throughout the conflict, Orbán has diverged from the EU's collective stance, refusing to supply military aid to Ukraine and often obstructing financial assistance and sanctions against Russia. His annual address at the Tusvanyos Summer University has become a platform for outlining his government’s ideological direction and critiquing EU standards since Hungary joined the bloc in 2004.
Currently holding the EU’s rotating presidency, Orbán has adopted a Trump-like rhetoric, vowing to “Make Europe Great Again” and openly endorsing Trump’s candidacy for the upcoming U.S. presidential election. He has met with Trump twice this year at the former president’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
Orbán asserted that Trump’s re-election campaign seeks to restore a sense of nationalism in the U.S., claiming that the former president is being unfairly targeted to thwart his electoral chances. “That is why they want to put him in prison. That’s why they want to take away his assets. And if that doesn’t work, that’s why they want to kill him,” he stated, referencing a recent assassination attempt on Trump.
In response, U.S. Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman criticized Orbán’s comments, warning that such rhetoric could jeopardize Hungary’s relationship with the United States. He noted that no other ally openly campaigns for a specific candidate in U.S. elections, suggesting that Orbán’s actions are self-serving rather than beneficial for Hungary.
Orbán’s controversial statements are not new; he has previously used the Tusvanyos festival to provoke international backlash, including his 2014 declaration of building an “illiberal state” in Hungary and his 2022 comments on Europe becoming a “mixed race” society. He reiterated his anti-immigration stance, arguing that migration cannot solve Hungary’s demographic challenges. “There can be no question of a shrinking population supplemented by migration,” he emphasized, warning against the risks of having more “guests than owners” in a nation.
As the EU’s longest-serving leader, Orbán has become a symbol for conservative populists, known for his staunch opposition to immigration and LGBTQ+ rights, alongside a crackdown on press freedoms and judicial independence in Hungary. His government has faced accusations from the EU regarding violations of democratic standards and the rule of law.
___McGrath reported from Sighisoara, Romania. Bálint Dömötör contributed from London.