For Hungarian Prime Minister Orban, the Kremlin chief's meeting with the US president in Budapest is a major coup. It fits Orban's narrative that he is Europe's only peacemaker, especially so shortly before the elections.
The date of the peace talks between US President Donald Trump and Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin in the Hungarian capital is not yet clear. But Prime Minister Viktor Orban is already celebrating the event in his media outlets.
Orban is very active on Platform X, among others. There, he presents himself in his personal profile as a"peace fighter, husband, father, grandfather, and Prime Minister of Hungary." Mind you,"peace fighter" is the first word there.
"Hungary is the island of peace," Orban posted Thursday evening."The planned meeting between the American and Russian presidents is great news for all people who love peace. We are ready."
Europe as an enemy image
Europe, on the other hand, is completely prepared for war, Orban claims in a video clip."Europe is at war by its own definition. Both the leaders of the largest EU states and the heads of the EU institutions speak of the Russian-Ukrainian war as if it were our war and as if Europe were at war," Orban said.
One politician in particular is personally attacking Viktor Orban: his most important opponent in Brussels, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
"Every day we see Commission President von der Leyen traveling around the world to do nothing but talk about the war. This clearly shows that there is a kind of war psychosis here and a competition to see who can take the most militant positions," Orban says in the video.
Massive criticism of Orban
Orban's stance has met with criticism from the vast majority of other EU states, including Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda.
"It sends a completely wrong message in all directions, to the international community and to Ukraine. Ukraine is fighting for its freedom and for the country's independence," Nauseda told media representatives a few days ago.
The criticism of Orban is similar to that of Trump. Both have achieved nothing in the war against Ukraine so far, apart from spreading peace rhetoric and taking a lenient and friendly approach to Putin, Nauseda said. Putin continues to see no deterrent from conquering Ukraine.
Hungary as the"only place of hope"
According to Orban, preparations for the peace talks in Budapest are in full swing. There have been telephone conversations between him and Trump and between him and Putin. A US-Hungarian meeting in Washington is also planned.
Orban presents it as if Hungary is currently the only place of hope in Europe."If you look at the map today and look at the European heads of state and government, it quickly becomes clear that Budapest is the only place in Europe where such a meeting can take place," the prime minister explained.
"Hungary is the only country for peace, and we cooperate with Slovakia in this regard. But for three years, we have been the only country that has consistently, openly, and actively advocated for peace."
Will the summit help in the elections?
Hungary will hold parliamentary elections next April. Orban's challenger, Peter Magyar, and his pro-European Tisza Party have been leading the polls for months.
Orban had already played the Ukraine card during the European election campaign. In his campaign at the time, he tried to convince voters that the EU wanted to send Hungarian soldiers to the front lines to fight against the Russians.
It can be assumed that Orban will again rely on a similar narrative in the election campaign. He hopes to gain a significant boost from the peace negotiations between Trump and Putin in Budapest.
