A return to the White House for Donald Trump would be better for Budapest, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has said
A victory for Donald Trump in the upcoming US presidential election would be the best outcome for Hungary, the country’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in an interview with RIA Novosti on Tuesday. Budapest will respect the choice of US voters regardless, he added.
Szijjarto had previously said US-Hungarian relations were strongest when Trump was in the White House and that Trump’s reelection would improve the chances of securing peace in the world.
“We are very proud of the fact that President Trump usually refers to his friendly relationship with [Hungarian] Prime Minister [Viktor] Orban,” Szijjarto said. “The two of them enjoy a great relationship both on a personal and professional basis. They already had great cooperation during Trump’s presidential term. Since then, they have maintained this relationship,” he revealed.
The Hungarian foreign minister went on to say: “If I look at the US elections from the Hungarian angle … it would be much better for us if Trump were elected by the Americans.
“On the other hand, I would like to stress that, since we are not American citizens, we always respect the results of the elections in the United States, regardless of the outcome. We try to build the best relationship because this shows respect for the will of the American people,” Szijjarto concluded.
Orban and Trump established close relations during the latter’s presidency, and the Hungarian leader has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Republican’s current campaign, saying earlier this month that he would “open several bottles of champagne” if Trump were elected.
Both have also advocated for a swift diplomatic solution to the Ukraine conflict, and Orban has said on more than one occasion that there would be a greater chance of reaching a peace deal if Trump were to win.
Meanwhile, Szijjarto had earlier denounced the US Democratic Party’s nominee Kamala Harris over her comments regarding the Hungarian prime minister. Last week, during an appearance with Stephen Collbert on CBS News, Harris was asked about Trump’s relationship with world leaders, including Orban, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. In response, the US vice president described them as “dictators, autocrats, and people who could rightly be called killers.”
Szijjarto said later: “This is outrageous. It’s unacceptable to speak about my prime minister in such a manner. It shows a complete lack of respect for him and the Hungarian people.” He also suggested that such words were “definitely not the best start” for any future relations.
The latest polls show the Democratic and Republican nominees locked in a dead heat with less than a month to go. Election day is November 5, although early voting by mail has already started in some states.
