Orbán’s allies in Washington will be persuading Republicans to stop aid to Ukraine – The Guardian

Allies of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán are set to hold a closed-door meeting with Republicans in Washington to push for the cessation of U.S. military support for Ukraine.

This information was reported by the British newspaper The Guardian.

According to the newspaper, members of the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs and staff from the Hungarian embassy in Washington will commence a two-day event organized by the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation. The first day will feature discussions on the war in Ukraine and cultural conflicts, while the second day will involve closed-door negotiations attended by Republican members of Congress.

This meeting occurs amid tense debates in the U.S. Congress regarding future aid to Ukraine. Last week, the White House warned that without congressional support, funds for purchasing more weaponry and equipment for Kyiv would run out by the end of the year.

A diplomatic source close to the Hungarian embassy conveyed to the newspaper that “Orbán is confident that aid to Ukraine will not pass through Congress.” This is precisely why the Prime Minister is attempting to block assistance, even from the EU.

According to Dalibor Rohac, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, “the Hungarian embassy in the District of Columbia has been very active recently, trying to mend ties with Republicans and strengthen them where necessary.” However, Rohac mentioned that despite good relations between Hungarian diplomats and some Republicans, it’s unlikely that Orbán will have any leverage over American financing for Ukraine.

Moreover, supporters of Ukraine are also reaching out to Republicans in Congress. This week, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron held meetings on Capitol Hill. During a press conference, he stated, “I am confident that goodwill will prevail and the money will be allocated, which will have a tremendous impact not only on morale in Ukraine but also on European countries continuing to ask themselves what more they can do.