JD Vance criticizes Zelenskyy over comments on Hungarian Prime Minister Orban

US Vice President Visits Hungary Amid Election Campaign

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is set to face a challenging election on April 12, with strained relations with Ukraine taking center stage in the campaign. During his visit to Budapest, US Vice President JD Vance expressed concerns over Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s comments about Orban.

According to Vance, Zelenskyy made “scandalous” remarks, which he described as a threat to Hungary’s head of government. Vance stated that such comments from a foreign leader should not be tolerated, especially when it comes to allied nations.

Vance also referenced the 2016 US presidential election and alleged foreign interference, drawing parallels between this incident and Ukraine’s actions in the current election campaign. He argued that the European Union’s decision to withhold billions of dollars in funding from Hungary due to its border protection policies is not considered “foreign influence.”

The Hungarian government has accused Ukraine of deliberately stopping flows of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline, which Kyiv denies was damaged by a Russian drone attack. The EU has responded by blocking a 90-billion-euro loan for Ukraine.

Vance’s comments on Wednesday were part of his visit to Budapest, where he met with Hungarian officials and addressed a university audience. A European Commission spokesperson later stated that Brussels would use diplomatic channels to convey concerns to the US about Vance’s previous comments on EU meddling in Hungary’s vote.

Source: Al Jazeera