US Doubts Orbán Can Win Re-election, Limiting Support

Hungary and the United States are still disputing the terms of exempting Budapest from anti-Russian sanctions. The deal announced by Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán, according to all appearances, remains nothing more than a verbal agreement for now, as sources from The Guardian claim. The White House fears that Orbán may lose the upcoming elections and is therefore avoiding showing him full support.

"Orbán hopes that words will be enough to keep him afloat," a diplomatic source in Washington stated, adding that President Trump and his Republican allies are increasingly skeptical about the Hungarian leader's chances of winning the elections scheduled for April next year.

At the heart of the dispute is the question of whether Hungary has received a temporary, one-year, or an indefinite exemption from the sanctions against "Rosneft" and "Lukoil." Sources from the US State Department and Congress have reported that no steps have been taken so far to legally enshrine the deal.

"All we have heard is about a one-year exemption," one congressional aide said. "We have not yet received a notification from Congress. Statements will be spread in pro-Orbán circles that will exaggerate the importance of these preliminary agreements."

According to the congressional source, ambiguity has become a constant feature of the Trump administration's deals with foreign countries, and in that sense, the results of the meeting with Orbán are entirely "demonstrative."

According to the congressional aide, Republicans continue to be skeptical about Orbán's close relations with Russia and his adopted stance on national security issues, including the war in Ukraine. "Orbán still maintains close relations with Putin and provides no assistance to Zelenskyy," they stated.