(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump on Friday welcomed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to the White House, where the country’s purchase of Russian oil is likely to be a key talking point.
“He’s a very special person,” Trump said of Orbán as he opened the meeting.
Orbán credited Trump for repairing the relationship between the U.S. and Hungary after the Biden administration had placed sanctions on Hungary for backsliding on democracy.
Trump also praised Orbán on immigration and said he “likes and respects” the leader, who has been criticized by other European leaders for authoritarian methods. The president also suggested that those who dislike Orbán are jealous of him.
Trump repeatedly returned to immigration, praising Orbán’s immigration policy and touting his own immigration policies while criticizing former President Joe Biden. He also criticized the immigration policies of European countries, saying that they needed to limit immigration.
As Trump’s efforts to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine have faltered, he has increased pressure on other countries to stop buying Russian oil. Trump has sanctioned Russian oil companies and suggested “secondary sanctions” for countries that purchase it, including India and China.
Orbán has continued relations with Russia and has also refused to supply Ukraine with weapons, to the disapproval of other European leaders.
However, Orbán has courted the United States, and Trump has praised his leadership.
Orbán is expected to argue Hungary has no other viable source for energy and that he should be exempted from sanctions or other penalties for continuing to purchase Russian oil, which has provided financial support for Russia’s continued war with Ukraine.
He is also expected to advocate for a summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest.
An earlier summit between the two leaders was set to be hosted there, but it was scuttled when Putin showed no signs of being willing to negotiate his demands.
Orbán has suggested Hungary is still open to holding a peace summit if there is movement toward a deal between Russia and Ukraine.