Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán spoke on Monday in the new online program Fight Hour about both the upcoming parliamentary elections and the recently concluded EU-US trade agreement, sharply criticizing EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Referring to the customs agreement, Orbán said: “Trump ate Ursula von der Leyen for breakfast.”

Orbán began by announcing that the Hungarian parliamentary elections could take place in 2026 at the earliest. According to the constitution, elections in Hungary can be held in April or May, but the exact date is decided by the president. All political parties, Orbán said, were already preparing for early elections in April. His Fidesz party had already nominated candidates in almost all 106 constituencies.

Accusations against von der Leyen

In the second half of the program, Orbán addressed the new trade agreement between the EU and the US, which was negotiated by Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump. The Fidesz leader was harsh in his criticism:

“That was no agreement. Trump completely steamrolled her. It was an unequal duel: he is a heavyweight, she is a lightweight.”

Orbán questioned the substance of the agreement and compared it to the deal recently concluded between the US and the UK, which he believed to be “significantly better” than the EU agreement. The outcome of the deal with Brussels was so poor, he said, “that it can hardly be sold as a success.”

“Who is going to pay for all this?”

Orbán was particularly critical of the fact that, under the agreement, the EU is supposed to invest several hundred million euros in the US – without having the funds to do so itself.

“Who exactly will pay this money? The EU Commission has no capital of its own,” Orbán said. “On whose behalf were the negotiations conducted? Will the German chancellor provide the money, the French president – or should I, as the Hungarian prime minister, send the capital?”

He also expressed skepticism about the planned arms build-up under the agreement:

“Supposedly, we are to buy weapons worth several hundred billion euros—but who is supposed to do that? The Commission has no army.”

Criticism of weak negotiating position

In conclusion, Orbán described the EU Commission’s position as “fragile and weak,” while Trump had appeared self-confident and experienced. In his view, the Commission President had been in a very difficult position, both politically and in terms of content.

Credit: APA