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In the course of the 2016 US presidential election campaign, Viktor Orbán was notable as the exclusive head of an EU nation to back the Republican candidate. This alignment was expected, in light of Mr Orbán's embrace of divisive theories like population replacement concept and the crackdowns on press independence. Analysts point out that Mr Orbán practically pioneered the Maga movement, with ex-Trump adviser Steve Bannon lauding Orbán as a precursor to Trump.

Political Favors Before Hungarian Elections

Recently, with crucial Hungarian elections just half a year off, the US president reciprocated with support. While Orbán seeks a fifth term in office presiding over a nation he describes as an non-liberal system, his political group is behind in opinion polls. A visit to Washington resulted in beyond Trump campaign souvenirs; it brought far more significant campaign boosts.

Energy Exemptions and Financial Shields

Although before admonishing European nations on the need to eliminate all fuel purchases from Russia, and warning of sanctions against nations persisting to import Russian energy, the US president approved to provide a particular exclusion for the Hungarian government – the top consumer among EU members of Russian oil. As Orbán stated, the American leadership also pledged to provide a fiscal buffer to the Hungarian authorities if it runs into any later issues, particularly since Brussels persists in holding back large sums from the EU to Hungary due to violations of legal standards.

The details of this deal are somewhat murky. However Donald Trump recently demonstrated his willingness to support ideological allies as the America granted a $20 billion in emergency funds to Argentina’s far-right president, the South American leader. While Mr Orbán was unable to arrange a presidential tour to Budapest, the Washington talks nevertheless turned out to be a productive session.

EU Concerns and Global Ramifications

Among European leaders, the US president's move probably further underlined the strategic importance of the upcoming vote, prior to which the centrist challenger, the rival candidate, has a comfortable lead in opinion data. European leaders are accustomed not to anticipate principled consistency from the Trump administration, and have grown used to the American leader's attempts to undermine the EU. Yet the special treatment for Orbán – secured through an pledge to purchase American natural gas and nuclear power – blatantly weakens European goals to end Russian fossil fuel imports by the target date.

• Starting in 2022, the top importers in the EU of Russian petroleum, these two countries, have provided well over £10bn to the Moscow's war operations.
• At the same time, the Hungarian government has repeatedly used the blocking vote to impede moves in Ukraine’s EU accession talks.
• While Europe works to create a coordinated approach for supporting Kyiv, and bolstering its position in any upcoming peace talks, Orbán's pro-Russia stance at the international forums remains a significant obstacle.

Rival's Approach

The opposition candidate has avoided vowing a significant change on the war in Ukraine, and focused his campaigning on home affairs, while highlighting the importance for Hungary to finally behave as a positive member state. After years of repeated disruptions, Brussels can only wait and hope. Orbán's disregard to basic EU values, including the support for minority protections and the independence of civil society institutions, has long been a deeply troubling issue for the bloc. His ongoing blocking tactics toward Ukrainian matters could harm its security prospects.