Former U.S. President Donald Trump will "not give a penny into the Ukraine-Russia war" if elected again, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on state television on March 10.
Trump hosted Orban at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on March 8, referring to the Hungarian Prime Minister as "a fantastic leader." Orban has a long-standing relationship with conservatives in the U.S. and is one of the only European leaders to be openly friendly toward the Kremlin.
The two discussed "a wide range of issues affecting Hungary and the United States, including the paramount importance of strong and secure borders to protect the sovereignty of each nation," according to a statement from Trump's campaign.
Echoing previous comments by the former president about his plans to negotiate peace in Ukraine within 24 hours, Orban said that Trump would end the supply of weapons from the U.S., a move that he claims would mark the end of the war.
"It is obvious that Ukraine on its own cannot stand on its feet," Orban said.
Trump's plan for a proposed peace negotiation in Ukraine remains vague, and it is unclear if it would be able to garner enough support even within his own party.
While the proportion of Republicans who think the U.S. is providing too much aid to Ukraine is higher than the corresponding number of Democrats, a poll released in December 2023 found that it was less than a majority (48%).
Trump's sway over the Republican party has contributed to the continuing deadlock in Congress over U.S. aid to Ukraine. The Senate passed a funding bill containing $60 billion in aid for Ukraine earlier in February, but House Speaker Mike Johnson has so far declined to bring it to a vote.
The former president further raised concern in the West after he said that he would encourage Russia to do "whatever the hell it wants" to NATO members that do not meet the 2% defense spending mark.
Timothy Ash
(Updated: )
