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Vance to rally with Orban ahead of pivotal Hungarian vote
United States Vice-President JD Vance is set to appear alongside Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at an election rally in Budapest on Tuesday, throwing Washington's weight behind the embattled leader in what polls suggest is his closest electoral contest in decades.
Orban faces strongest challenge in 40-year career
The 12 April parliamentary election pits Orban against Peter Magyar, a former ally who left the ruling Fidesz party two years ago to launch the centre-right Tisza movement. Most independent surveys show Tisza leading Fidesz by margins of 10 % to 20 %, although the pro-government Nezopont agency claims a narrow Fidesz advantage.
Trump's personal support for Orban
Orban's relationship with former US President Donald Trump dates to 2016, when he became the sole European Union leader to endorse Trump's first presidential bid. The bond deepened after Trump granted Hungary an exemption from sanctions on Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil last October, a move Trump framed as a personal favour that may not survive an opposition victory.
Hungary remains almost alone in the EU in resisting Brussels' push to reduce dependence on Russian energy. Budapest has committed to purchasing more US liquefied natural gas and nuclear technology, yet still relies on the Druzhba oil pipeline and TurkStream gas pipeline, both of which have faced recent disruptions.
Energy supply crises and allegations of electioneering
The Druzhba pipeline, which crosses Ukraine, has delivered no oil to Hungary since a 27 January Russian strike on Ukrainian infrastructure. Orban blames Kyiv for the shutdown, while the Trump administration has remained publicly silent on the dispute. To avert shortages, Hungary has tapped strategic reserves and imported non-Russian oil via a Croatian pipeline.
On Sunday, Serbian authorities reported discovering explosives near the TurkStream pipeline close to the Hungarian border. Orban's government swiftly labelled the incident an act of terrorism aimed at Hungary's energy security. Opposition leader Peter Magyar and former Hungarian intelligence officials, however, accused Orban and Serbian President Alexander Vucic of fabricating the event to sway voters ahead of Sunday's vote.
Scandals and diplomatic leaks erode Orban's standing
Leaked transcripts of private calls between Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto and senior Russian officials have further damaged Orban's campaign. The recordings suggest Szijjarto shared confidential EU summit discussions with Moscow and advocated for removing Russian officials from sanctions lists at Russia's request. Szijjarto defended the conversations as routine diplomacy.
Orban has also made opposition to Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky a central theme of his re-election bid, a stance that has isolated Hungary within the EU but resonates with his nationalist base.
Vance's visit aimed at shoring up Orban's image
With polls showing a tight race, Orban is counting on Vance's high-profile appearance to reinforce his image as a globally respected leader capable of navigating turbulent times. The rally at a Budapest football stadium is expected to draw thousands of supporters.
