Forthcoming Putin-Trump Budapest meeting vital for Hungary — Orban

BUDAPEST:  The upcoming summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Budapest holds profound existential...

BUDAPEST:  The upcoming summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Budapest holds profound existential significance for Hungary, as it could potentially end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, an issue that has seriously affected Hungary’s economic development, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated as preparations for the Russian-American meeting progressed.

"In the first three years of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, Hungary incurred losses totaling 9.1 trillion forints (around 23.4 billion euros). This equals more than 2 million forints (approximately 5,000 euros) lost per family," Orban wrote on his Facebook page (the platform is banned in Russia, is owned by Meta, and has been designated as extremist by Russian authorities).

He detailed the economic toll: "Energy and gas prices have surged, inflation has reached record levels, sanctions have hurt us, trade has fallen, interest rates have risen, and financing the country has become more expensive. If we can end the war, these burdens will ease. Hungary’s economy will finally breathe a sigh of relief, returning to pre-war growth patterns. Everyone will earn more, and even bread prices could drop."

Orban emphasized the importance of the summit for Hungary’s survival: "The success of the peace negotiations in Budapest is vital to Hungary’s very existence. We must do everything possible to achieve this goal."

On October 16, following a phone call with Putin, Trump announced that the two leaders had agreed to meet soon in Budapest. Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov confirmed that Moscow and Washington would "without delay" begin preparations for a new summit between Putin and Trump, possibly to be held in the Hungarian capital. In response, Orban ordered the formation of an organizing committee to facilitate the summit, stating that the preparations "began Thursday evening."

-News Feed