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Vance praises Orbán and accuses EU of ‘foreign interference’ in upcoming Hungarian election – Europe live | Hungary
JD Vance blasts ‘bureaucrats’ in Brussels for ‘one of worst examples of foreign election interference’ in Hungary
Amazingly, Vance then launches a tirade against “one of the worst examples of foreign election interference that I have ever seen,” lambasting “the bureaucrats in Brussels [who] have tried to destroy the economy of Hungary.”
“They’ve done it all because they hate this guy,” he says, calling their involvement “disgraceful.”
In a completely-not-interfering-with-the-vote-tone-at-all, he tells the Hungarian voters they should consider “not who is pro- or anti-Europe, who is pro- or anti-US, but who is pro-you and pro- the people of Hungary.”
“And my experience, I have seen a guy who is ferociously advocated for the interests of Hungary,” he says.
Without a hint of response to apparent contradiction at the very heart of his comments, he then ends his long praise for Orbán saying:
“Part of the reason why we’re here, and part of the reason why the president, the United States sent me here is because we think the amount of interference that’s come from the bureaucracy in Brussels has been truly disgraceful. I won’t tell the people of Hungary how to vote. I would encourage the bureaucrats in Brussels to do the exact same thing.”
Key events
Vance praises Orbán’s record on mediating with Russia, Ukraine
Vance then says that Orbán has been a “statesman” on Russia and Ukraine, and says alongside Trump they are “the two leaders who have done the most to actually end that destructive conflict.”
(Erm. 10:42)
“Your leadership has been a far, far more important and constructive partner for peace than almost anyone, anywhere else in the world,” he tells Orbán.
Orbán stands with US in defence of Christian western civilisation, JD Vance says
Vance then speaks about “moral cooperation” between the Trump administration and Orbán’s Hungary as they “stand up for the values of western civilisation.”
He says that cooperation includes “is the defence of Western civilisation,” as he attacks what he claims to be “indoctrination” on gender issues.
He goes on to say it is also “the defence of the idea that we are founded on a certain Christian civilisation and Christian values that animate everything from freedom of speech to rule of law, to respect for minority rights and protection of the vulnerable.”
He carries on:
“There is so much that unites the United States and Hungary, and unfortunately, there have been too few people who have been willing to stand up for the values of western civilisation. Viktor Orbán is the rare exception that has unfortunately proved the rule.”
Vance hails Orbán as Europe’s ‘single most profound leader in Europe’ on energy security
JD Vance continues by saying “there are so many things we could point to” in terms of US-Hungarian cooperation, as he hails Orbán as “the single profound leader in Europe on the question of energy security and independence.”
He then again openly criticises other EU leaders, saying that “it is funny to watch prime ministers and leaders in some of the western European capitals talk about the energy crisis, when, frankly, they should have been following the policies of Viktor Orbán in Hungary.”
“And if they had the energy crisis that they’re experiencing would be a lot less bad.”
He then says:
“We want Europe to be successful. We want European families to be able to afford to heat their homes and to build great things. We want Europe to be energy independent and even energy dominant, but it’s not going to be energy secure if it continues to follow the failed policies of the past.
And so I think Viktor has been a great example, and charting a course that could lead to a better, more prosperous and more energy secure Europe.”
‘I want to help as much as I can possibly help,’ JD Vance says in full-out endorsement of Orbán
JD Vance is up next and he doesn’t mince his words as he openly endorses Orbán ahead of the vote this Sunday.
He hails him as a close partner of the US president, Donald Trump, and says “we want to build upon those amazing things.”
He then goes into full throated endorsement of Orbán:
“I want to help as much as I possibly can the prime minister as he faces this election season, which I believe is happening in just about a week, the election to elect the next prime minister of Hungary.
Now, I don’t expect, of course, the people of Hungary to listen to the vice-president of the United States – that’s not primarily why I’m here.
But I did want to send a signal to everybody, particularly the bureaucrats in Brussels, who have done everything that they can to hold down the people of Hungary, because they don’t like the leader who has actually stood up for the people of Hungary.”
Trump’s elections ‘ushered golden era in our relations,’ Orbán says
Orbán and Vance are speaking now.
The Hungarian prime minister begins by repeating the narrative that “with the election of president Trump, … a golden era has been ushered in our relations” as he hails American FDI in Hungary.
He points to the US role in ensuring Hungary’s security and stresses the importance of their energy cooperation as he repeats his dramatic warnings about the impeding energy crisis that he says is about to hit Europe in the coming days and weeks.
Orbán then turns to Ukraine, saying Hungary has had to live “in the shadows of the war” for four years as he laments that “the Europeans, especially Brussels” in his view keep blocking peace talks with Russia.
He then repeats his allegations of “foreign security interference” in the Hungarian election.
Listing four top topics of their discussions, he also points to migration, “gender ideology”, family policy, and global security.
‘President loves you and so do I,’ JD Vance tells Orbán in Budapest
As we are still waiting for the press conference to begin, we are getting first comments from Orbán’s meeting with JD Vance, via the White House pool.
Ahead of their talks, Orbán said the meeting was an opportunity to exchange views on current affairs and what he sees as the fight for the “soul of the west,” it was reported.
He also received some praise from Vance, who reportedly said “the president loves you and so do I,” and added Orbán was “one of the only true statesmen in Europe” and wishing him good luck for this week’s elections.
“I just appreciate Victor’s friendship, because it is very rare you have somebody with this combination of diplomatic skill and wisdom. It’s very, very important to us that we continue to keep this relationship ongoing,” he said.
We are now getting more pictures from inside Orbán’s meeting with JD Vance in Budapest.
There are also some government-issued handout pictures, showing the pair deep in conversation with the backdrop of the Hungarian capital.
They are expected to hold a joint press conference sooner rather than later, and I will bring you all the key lines here.
Sarkozy insists he is innocent as he faces fresh trial over Libyan funding allegations
Angelique Chrisafis
in Paris
Elsewhere, Nicolas Sarkozy has told a Paris court of appeal he is innocent as he faces a fresh trial over allegations he conspired to receive illegal election campaign funding from the regime of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
The former rightwing French president, who was in office between 2007 and 2012, said: “Gaddafi had no hold over me, not political, not financial, not personal.”
Last year, Sarkozy was sentenced to five years in prison for criminal conspiracy over the alleged scheme to obtain election campaign funds from Gaddafi’s regime. He became the first former head of an EU country to serve time in prison, and the first French postwar leader to go behind bars.
After 20 days in a Paris jail, which he described as “gruelling” and a “nightmare”, Sarkozy was released from prison in November, pending his appeal, and published a book about his time inside. He was in solitary confinement for his own security, in an individual cell of about 9 sq metres with his own shower and toilet.
Sarkozy has been accused of making a deal, as interior minister in 2005, with Gaddafi to obtain campaign financing for his successful 2007 presidential bid in exchange for supporting the then-isolated Libyan government on the international stage. Sarkozy denied this.
Last year, Sarkozy was found guilty of one count of criminal conspiracy over the scheme to obtain election funds from Libya. He was acquitted of three other charges of corruption, misuse of Libyan public funds and illegal election campaign funding.
Sarkozy is now on trial again on all four counts at the fresh trial on appeal after he appealed against his conviction and the state prosecutor appealed against the acquittals.
If convicted, Sarkozy, 71, faces up to 10 years in prison.
Orbán and JD Vance just briefly appeared before the photographers for a quick handshake, but they did take any questions.
The Hungarian prime minister appeared to be quite interested in engaging with reporters, but the US vice-president shut them down saying “we will do a press conference later.”
We are expecting to hear from JD Vance later today twice, first at a joint press conference with Viktor Orbán and then at a pre-election rally disguised as Hungarian-American Friendship day.
He is about to meet Orbán any moment now for a quick handshake for photographers to formally kick-off the visit.
As you can see, the preparations are now in final stages…