Orban's Peace Mission Sparks EU and NATO Criticism

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán departed early from a NATO summit in Washington, D.C., to meet with former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Orbán's visit follows his controversial trips to Russia and China, where he met with Presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping as part of a self-declared 'peace mission' to end the Ukraine conflict. The EU and NATO have criticized Orbán for his close ties with Russia and perceived undermining of democratic values. Orbán has openly endorsed Trump for the upcoming U.S. presidential election, and their meeting is expected to cover topics including the Ukraine war. This meeting underscores the potential shift in diplomatic alliances if Trump wins the presidency, with leaders like Orbán and Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman likely to regain favor. Orbán's tenure as the rotating president of the EU has already sparked significant controversy and criticism from other EU leaders.