Hungary’s Orbán faces backlash over his rogue ‘peace mission’ meetings with Western adversaries

Associated Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has made a Trumpian vow to “Make Europe Great Again” during his country’s six-month presidency of the European Union. As a first step last week, he astonished his allies by making secret trips to Russia and China for talks with two of the bloc’s primary adversaries. The EU’s longest-serving leader, who has endorsed former President Donald Trump and is known to have the warmest relations with Vladimir Putin in the bloc, has embarked on what he calls a “peace mission” aimed at brokering an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine. But his recent secret meetings with Western adversaries have provoked a backlash and prompted attempts to contain Hungary during its six-month EU presidency.