A snub to the European Union. Received at the White House by Donald Trump this Friday, Viktor Orban can boast of several victories. First on immigration. The American president praised the merits of Hungarian Prime Minister, urging the European Union to respect it “very, very strongly, because he was right” on the subject. “Look what happened to Europe with immigration, they have people overwhelming Europe, from everywhere, and it’s harming it”asserted the Republican leader, quoted by AFP.
In Washington, Viktor Orban complained about the heavy financial sanctions imposed by the EU on Budapest for its restrictive migration policy and non-respect of the right to asylum. In June 2024, his country was, for example, ordered to pay 200 million euros and a penalty of one million euros per day for not having complied with EU law on asylum.
“Immigration is killing Europe”
Donald Trump had already denounced the damage caused by immigration on the European continent, just like the American vice-president JD Vance or the business leader and former traveling companion of the American administration, Elon Musk. Last July, from Scotland, the Head of State assured that “Immigration is killing Europe”. Before adding: “You better get your act together, otherwise Europe will no longer exist. »
The new statements by the American president do not represent the only victory won by Viktor Orban across the Atlantic. Donald Trump also granted him an exemption from American sanctions linked to Russian oil. “It is very difficult for him to get oil and gas from other areas. As you know, it does not have access to the sea”explained the 47th leader of the United States.
In October, Donald Trump imposed sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil producers – Rosneft and Lukoil – over Russia’s refusal to end the war in Ukraine. Washington then called on countries like Slovakia and Hungary to wean themselves off Russian energy sources. However, Budapest remains heavily dependent on Russian oil and American sanctions could have weakened Viktor Orban in the run-up to the legislative elections.
