Vance to meet Orban in Hungary ahead of elections

US Vice President JD Vance will travel to Hungary on April 7-8 to meet with Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the White House said Thursday, ahead of parliamentary elections that will determine the fate of the nationalist prime minister.

Vance, who will be accompanied by his wife Usha Vance, "will also deliver remarks on the rich partnership between the United States and Hungary," the White House said in a statement.

Orban, a pro-Russian nationalist with close ties to President Donald Trump's administration, faces the biggest challenge to his rule in years.

If Orban's party wins in the April 12 elections, he would enter his fifth straight term in office. 

But independent polls show conservative challenger Peter Magyar ahead.

Last month Trump endorsed Orban, calling him a "strong leader who's shown the entire world what's possible when you defend your borders, your culture, your heritage, your sovereignty and your values" in a video message from the Oval Office.

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Vance's trip follows a mid-February visit to the country by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Since Orban's return to power in 2010, he has repeatedly tussled with the European Union, with Polish and Irish leaders condemning his government's close links with Moscow.

Orban has regularly paralyzed EU foreign policymaking by wielding Hungary's veto, holding up EU sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and blocking aid to the war-torn country.

If challenger Magyar and his TISZA party win, he is expected to improve relations with the EU and unlock billions of euros for Hungary that Brussels has frozen over rule-of-law and other concerns.

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