if I recall correctly, Orban is in a bad place. He chose to be Putin’s puppet within the EU and NATO, voting against Pro Ukraine initiatives whenever he could. His power base is pro Russian, and he took a pro Russian foreign policy position on many things, including where to buy his fucking oil. He naturally is addicted to that sweet sweet Ural crude/gas. The problem is, Brussels just announced it would be OK for Ukraine to destroy the pipeline from Russia bringing that to Hungary.
And since he is buying Russian he is subject to Trump’s sanctions. I think his intent is to ask Trump to give Hungary dispensation from the sanctions so they can keep buying Russian oil……because that would help Hungary help Trump get his Nobel peace prize. Or some shit like that.
Orban recently had the brainstorm to mark the anniversary of the year Russia brought in tanks to suppress a Hungarian independence movement. Shockingly, lots of pro western citizens took to the streets to condemn Orban and Russia and Putin - with a great vigor and large numbers I might add. Orban’s position seems to be getting more precarious. He needs to tie into western petroleum supplies and ditch Russia. But if he does that, Putin will ratchet up the pro Russia hardliners within Hungary to create all kinds of problems.
I think that Orban is kind of a dead man walking. Fortunately, he’s going to see that bastion of common sense and empathy in the White House and try to get some help.