Orban backs Trump amid White House showdown with Zelensky

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban referred to the confrontation at the White House between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. "Strong men make peace, weak men make war," Orban stated, commenting on the situation on social media. Thus, Putin's ally expressed his support for Trump.

Orban, known for his criticism of the authorities in Kyiv, wrote on the X platform in the same post: "Today President @realDonaldTrump stood bravely for peace. Even if it was difficult for many to digest. Thank you, Mr. President!".

Orban was one of the few to react this way to the outcome of the meeting in Washington; the vast majority of European politicians expressed support for Ukraine.

Former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, also a Trump supporter, assessed that the American president "is a tough negotiator and made it clear that he sets the rules of the game". He added: "I did not expect such a sharp exchange of words, and I think that the tense atmosphere in international politics will certainly not be eased. Personally, I would handle such matters behind closed doors, without the presence of the media."

On Friday at the White House, Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The purpose of the visit was to sign an agreement with the US on mineral extraction. However, the meeting ended in an argument with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance. The agreement was not signed, and the joint press conference of both presidents was cancelled. Volodymyr Zelensky left the White House earlier than planned.