Hungary's Leader Claims Trump's Alleged Plan to Cut U.S. Military Aid to Ukraine
Mar 12, 2024 / GMT+6
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán claimed that former President Donald Trump informed him of his intentions to halt U.S. military aid to Ukraine in order to resolve its conflict with Russia. Orbán revealed in an interview with Hungary's state-run media outlet, M1, that Trump's strategy is to withhold all financial assistance from Ukraine, as he believes the country is unable to independently sustain itself.
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Trump, who has consistently maintained that the conflict would not have occurred during his presidency, has previously indicated his unwillingness to support Ukraine in defending itself against Russia. In February, Trump said that he was against providing foreign aid to any country unless it was in the form of a loan.
Orbán's remarks came after he met with Trump at the Mar-a-Lago estate last Friday, where the former president praised him as the best, smartest, and strongest leader. As Hungary's leader, Orbán has been critical of providing aid to Ukraine and expanding NATO.
However, Hungary recently dropped its opposition to the EU providing aid to Ukraine. Orbán, like Trump, has a history of promoting conspiracy theories.
Trump’s team did not immediately respond to Orban's comments.
The statement from Trump’s campaign did not address Ukraine specifically, but mentioned that the two leaders discussed issues affecting their respective nations, including border security.
Orban has faced backlash from EU leaders for meeting with Putin and maintaining ties with the Kremlin, as well as speaking out against Western sanctions on Russia since the invasion of Ukraine.
Biden criticized the meeting between Trump and Orban, suggesting that the Hungarian leader was seeking a dictatorship.
European leaders have expressed concerns about the potential implications of another Trump presidency on US support for Ukraine and NATO.
The Biden administration is waiting for Congress to approve additional aid for Ukraine. House Republican leaders have not yet brought a measure for a vote, but Speaker Mike Johnson and key House committees are working on developing their own aid package for Ukraine.
