Orban sparks concerns of Trump appearance at upcoming EU summit

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's recent phone call with Donald Trump has raised alarms among some European Union officials.

They worry he might invite the Republican presidential candidate to participate in an upcoming EU meeting if he wins the US election on November 5, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Orban, who posted about his conversation with Trump on X, expressed his support for the former president ahead of the election. There are speculations that he could invite Trump to join EU leaders via video link or to send a recorded message during their gathering in Budapest next week, according to several EU diplomats.

Such a gesture would likely irritate many other EU leaders, who have expressed concerns about Hungary's lack of transparency in prior dealings. Orban's close ties with Trump are expected to be leveraged should the former president regain the White House. Current US polls indicate a tight race, and results may take days to finalize.

Budapest is set to host an informal EU summit on November 8, along with a larger European Political Community meeting the day before. EU leaders plan to discuss the election results over dinner on November 7.

Rumors of a potential Trump invitation have circulated in Brussels, especially given Orban's controversial trips to meet with leaders such as Putin, Xi Jinping, and Trump himself, which drew criticism from other EU members. Some capitals had even contemplated skipping the Budapest summit due to these visits. However, a senior EU official suggested that boycotting would play into Orban's hands, advising leaders to focus on isolating him during discussions.

One diplomat mentioned that leaders might opt not to adopt a formal statement on competitiveness, the summit's main agenda, to avoid labeling it as the “Budapest declaration,” which could further elevate Orban’s profile.

By Vafa Guliyeva