PM Orban: We Defended the Hungarian Utility Price Cuts

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met yesterday with Donald Trump for the sixth time. U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban to the White House in Washington. Yesterday's meeting marks the sixth meeting of the two leaders. During the joint press conference before their talks, President Trump once again praised the Hungarian leader, while PM Orban declared that the time has come for a “new golden age” in U.S.–Hungary relations.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (Source: Hungarian Prime Minister’s Office / Communications Department)

Hungary, he explained, receives most of its crude oil through pipelines, which are vital for the country’s energy security. He also stressed the need to approach the two energy carriers - oil and natural gas — separately,  noting that 90% of Hungarian households rely on gas for heating.

Hungary currently receives natural gas via two pipelines: one from Turkey and the other through Croatia, though the Croatian line is smaller in capacity. Crude oil arrives through one line running via Ukraine and an other through Croatia. Mr. Orban said Hungary hopes to persuade the Croatian government to increase pipeline capacity, though even that alone would be insufficient, but would at least cover a greater proportion of national demand.

Viktor Orban stated that the West is not united when it comes to the war in Ukraine — and that only the governments of the United States and Hungary are clearly on the side of peace.

He expressed his conviction that the key issue is whether the West can achieve unity on this matter. PM Orban praised President Trump’s serious commitment to peace, contrasting it with Brussels and the EU, which continue to insist that Ukraine can win on the battlefield. “There is no question that if Donald Trump had been president of the United States at the time, there would be no war between Russia and Ukraine,” the PM stated.

He also said that without the U.S. pressure campaign in 2022, many European nations would not have adopted such a hardline pro-war position — and some might have limited their Ukraine assistance to humanitarian aid only. Bending to "the pressure by the previous administration created responsibilities,” PM Orban said, “and now we must repair the subsequent damage.”

He added that he fully understands Donald Trump’s determination to stop the war at all costs, and that the conflict would never have escalated to this point had the previous U.S. administration not pressured Europe so forcefully.

Viktor Orban emphasized that he would like to contribute to the American President's peace efforts because the Western world made a grave mistake a few years ago.

When asked how pressure could be exerted on the Russian President to end the war, the Hungarian Prime Minister said that he had some ideas on the matter, which he would share with the US President. 

On immigration, PM Orban underscored that Hungary maintains a zero-percent rate of illegal migration, thanks to strict border policies requiring migrants to apply for entry before crossing. He criticized the European Union’s sanctions against Hungary for refusing to open its borders to illegal migrants, saying these measures punish the country for defending its own as well as EU frontiers.

In response to a question from Magyar Nemzet, President Trump commended Viktor Orban for his firm stance on immigration, saying that Europe is collapsing under the weight of uncontrolled immigration, while Hungary has shown leadership - as opposed to other EU leaders.

The Prime Minister also pointed out that Hungary is the only government in Europe that openly defines itself as a modern Christian government, while all others are liberal or left-leaning. “Since 2010, we have tried to do something completely different — both philosophically and practically. Hungary is a unique island of conservatism in a liberal European ocean,” he said.

PM Orban made clear that he was not asking President Trump to intervene in Hungary’s disputes within the European Union, saying, “That’s our job.” “We are in Washington to launch the golden age of Hungarian–American relations,” he said, stressing that Hungary will handle its own affairs within the EU.

President Trump reiterated his intention to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest when the time is right — a move PM Orban welcomed as part of broader peace efforts.

After the talks, Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto held a joint press conference to outline the results. 

PM Orban reported that President Trump had expressed deep respect and admiration for Hungary and its people, even recalling thenames of Hungarian individuals who contributed greatly to America’s success.

He concluded by highlighting a new U.S.–Hungarian space cooperation agreement, calling it “one of the most exciting fields of the future.”

“Energy is vital,” Orbán said, “but the industry of tomorrow lies elsewhere — and Hungary intends to be part of it.”

President Trump thinks highly of Hungary and holds our contry in high regard, perhaps even more so than we do ourselves. He talked of Hungarians who have contributed to U.S. success. He sees us not as a distant country, but as a nation whose sons and daughters have brought honor and achievement to the United States,

the PM said.

Viktor Orban also announced:

We succeeded in defending the utility price cuts, and Hungary will receive full exemption from sanctions in the case of the Turkish Stream and Friendship pipelines.

He also confirmed an agreement on nuclear energy cooperation, with Westinghouse joining Hungary’s nuclear development projects — a first in Hungarian history. This cooperation will include fuel rod supply arrangements, and the long-delayed 

"Paks II nuclear power project has been granted complete and permanent sanction relief. There are absolutely no obstacles from the American side,” 

PM Orban emphasized.

The Prime Minister added that the U.S. also has an interest in the stability of the Hungarian economy, therefore both sides agreed to deepen economic cooperation and encourage American investments in Hungary.

“There are around 1,400 U.S. companies operating in Hungary, providing jobs and livelihoods to some 100,000 Hungarian workers,” PM Orban said, noting that these investments help raise Hungary’s technological standards.

The Prime Minister said that Hungary had offered its support to the United States. Viktor Orban said, "If needed, we will support all American ideas for establishing peace in the Russian-Ukrainian war." 

He also confirmed that the Trump-Putin Peace Summit would be held in the Hungarian capital when the time came.

There is something that I think is obvious to almost all of us in Hungary. I may be wrong, and it may not be as widely accepted as I think, but I believe it is obvious: Ukraine cannot defeat Russia in war. I think this is as simple as the alphabet for every Hungarian. In contrast, here in the U.S. and in major European countries, the question is being asked as if it were still an open issue: 'who will win?' So there is a belief that Ukraine can win this war against Russia on the battlefield. And they ask what the Hungarian position is, to analyze what our view is. And I can only repeat what I told the American President today when he asked me if the Ukrainians can win. I said: 'well, miracles can happen',

Mr. Orban responded to a question by Magyar Nemzet on the chances of peace.

"The U.S. President is interested in European politics, since we belong to the same alliance. I wanted to make it clear that I will never ask anyone for any outside help in conducting our debates within the EU," the Prime Minister replied when asked what he meant by saying that he would resolve conflicts within the European Union. At the same time, the he emphasized "we have enough internal national strength to win these debates".

PM Orban concluded by highlighting a new U.S.–Hungarian space cooperation agreement, calling it “one of the most exciting fields of the future. Energy is vital,” he said, “but the industry of tomorrow lies elsewhere — and Hungary intends to be part of it.”

Cover photo: U.S. President Donald Trump and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (Source: Hungarian Prime Minister’s Office / Communications Department)