Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban (L) poses with former US president Donald Trump at Trump's estate in Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. AFP File Photo
Europe will need to reconsider its support for Ukraine if Donald Trump is elected president of the United States, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated on Sunday, emphasizing that the continent "will not be able to shoulder the burdens of the war alone". Orban is against military aid to Ukraine and believes Trump shares his views, advocating for a negotiated peace settlement for Ukraine. He supports former president Trump, the Republican candidate, to defeat Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in Tuesday's US election.
"We (in Europe) must recognize that if there will be a pro-peace president in America, which I not only believe in but also interpret the data to suggest, ... if our expectations materialize and America shifts to a pro-peace stance, then Europe cannot remain pro-war," Orban said. Ukraine will be a key topic when European leaders convene in Budapest in the coming week, he noted, referring to a European Political Community meeting and a more informal gathering of EU leaders scheduled to take place.
"Europe cannot bear the burden of [the war] alone, and if Americans shift to peace, then we also need to adjust, and this is what we will discuss in Budapest," Orban said. Europe is anxious about how the outcome of the U.S. election will impact the war in Ukraine and the continent's security. Orban has drawn criticism from Brussels for his close ties to Russia and opposition to aid for Ukraine. Hungary's foreign minister Peter Szijjarto stated in July that the Hungarian government views Trump as a "chance for peace" in Ukraine. In July, Orban revealed that his team was assisting Trump's aides with policies on families and migration. On Thursday, he called Trump to wish him good luck ahead of Tuesday's election.
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