Latest Viktor Orban News

Hungary's Orban demands Ukraine's EU membership be taken off the agenda at a bloc summit

Dec. 04, 2023 12:48 PM EST

BRUSSELS (AP) — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban demanded on Monday that Ukraine’s membership in the European Union and billions of euros in funding meant for the war-torn country be taken off the agenda at a summit of the bloc’s leaders next week. In a letter to European...

Ex-president barred from leaving Ukraine amid alleged plan to meet with Hungary's Viktor Orban

Dec. 03, 2023 04:51 AM EST

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Former President Petro Poroshenko was denied permission to leave Ukraine for a planned meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Ukraine’s security service said Saturday. Poroshenko announced Friday that he had been turned away at...

Hungary will not agree to starting EU membership talks with Ukraine, minister says

Nov. 30, 2023 08:57 AM EST

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary will not support any European Union proposal to begin talks on making Ukraine a member of the bloc, a government minister said Thursday. Gergely Gulyas, the chief of staff to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, said at a news conference in...

Erdogan to visit Budapest next month as Turkey and Hungary hold up Sweden's membership in NATO

Nov. 28, 2023 08:37 AM EST

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Hungary's capital in December, his second trip to Budapest this year at a time when both countries remain the only NATO members not to have ratified Sweden's accession into the trans-Atlantic military alliance. ...

An anti-European Union billboard campaign in Hungary turns up tensions with the Orbán government

Nov. 23, 2023 02:20 AM EST

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — A countrywide billboard campaign that flooded the streets of Hungary this week takes aim at European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the start of an election campaign that marks an escalation of tensions between the country's nationalist conservative government...

Trump has long praised autocrats and populists. He's now embracing Argentina's new president

Nov. 21, 2023 21:17 PM EST

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump has long praised a particular type of foreign leader — men he describes as “tough” and “strong,” even if they have chipped away at their countries' democratic norms. The former president and GOP front-runner is now celebrating the newly...

Slovakia's new government led by populist Robert Fico wins a mandatory confidence vote

Nov. 21, 2023 12:46 PM EST

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Slovakia’s new government, led by populist Prime Minister Robert Fico who ended the country’s military aid for Ukraine, won a mandatory confidence vote in Parliament on Tuesday. Of the 143 lawmakers present in the 150-seat Parliament, 78 voted in...

Hungary's Orbán says Ukraine is 'light years away' from joining the EU

Nov. 18, 2023 17:21 PM EST

BUDAPEST, (AP) — Hungary's prime minister said Saturday that Ukraine is “light years away” from joining the European Union, further signaling that his government is likely to present a roadblock to Kyiv's ambitions to join the bloc. Speaking at a biannual congress of his...

Hungary issues an anti-EU survey to citizens on migration, support for Ukraine and LGBTQ+ rights

Nov. 17, 2023 05:41 AM EST

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary's government on Friday released a set of questions for an informal survey it will send to voters on a number of divisive issues including migration, LGBTQ+ rights and support for Ukraine, including a proposal to block further European Union assistance to Kyiv...

Hungary's Orbán says negotiations on Ukraine's future EU membership should not move forward

Nov. 10, 2023 08:07 AM EST

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary's prime minister said Friday he does not support moving forward on negotiations on Ukraine's future membership in the European Union, signaling again that his country could pose a major roadblock to Kyiv's ambitions to join the bloc. EU leaders are...