April 7, 2026

After 16 years in power, Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary is struggling to maintain his footing as his governing Fidesz party trails badly in most polls. Now, Vice President JD Vance is attemptinga last-ditch rescue effort to revive the flagging prospects of Europe’s nationalist standard-bearer.

JD Vance is in Budapest in a last-ditch effort to prop up Viktor Orban just days before Hungary’s election, a race that could reverberate far beyond this small country. Orban’s governing Fidesz party is trailing badly in most polls after 16 years in power, and both the Trump administration and Moscow are openly invested in his survival. For Washington and the Kremlin alike, Orban is a crucial ally in the fight against Europe — and a possible roadblock to sanctions, aid, and Western unity on Ukraine.

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