JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
Hungary's prime minister, Viktor Orban, has been raising eyebrows at this week's NATO summit here in Washington. He arrived here after a controversial trip to Russia and China. And his next stop, Florida to visit former President Trump, who, like Orban, is out of sync with much of NATO over Russia and Ukraine. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports.
MICHELE KELEMEN, BYLINE: The 75th anniversary NATO summit is meant to show Russia that the West is united in its support for Ukraine. Hungary's Viktor Orban, though, looks like the odd man out for visiting Moscow on the eve of the summit. One of NATO's newest members, Finland's president, Alexander Stubb, puts it this way.
PRESIDENT ALEXANDER STUBB: I'm not concerned so much about the divide because Viktor is in such a distinct minority. But I fundamentally disagree with his approach, and I'll say it out loud. I don't think there's any point in having conversations with authoritarian regimes that are violating international law.
KELEMEN: Stubb says NATO is an alliance based on values and is at odds with authoritarian leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin.
STUBB: And we're now giving a clear message to Putin that we are building a bridge for Ukraine's NATO membership, which is irreversible. So there's nothing for Orban to negotiate.
KELEMEN: But Hungarian officials say that NATO and the EU have not been able to end Russia's war in Ukraine. So Orban is now presenting himself as a mediator. The Hungarian prime minister just took over the six-month presidency of the European Council by visiting both Moscow and Kyiv. That doesn't sit well with another NATO and EU member, Lithuania's foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis.
GABRIELIUS LANDSBERGIS: It could seem that he's abusing his position as a presiding country, but in no way, he's representing neither my country nor the European Union.
KELEMEN: Biden administration officials have also been raising concerns. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan says there can be, quote, "no fake peace with Russia without buy-in from Ukraine."
JAKE SULLIVAN: So whatever adventurism is being undertaken without Ukraine's consent or support, you know, is not something that's consistent with our policy - foreign policy of the United States.
KELEMEN: Sullivan would not comment on Orban's decision to meet former President Trump. And Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is brushing off concerns that Orban is trying to make backroom deals with Trump and Putin.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY: Orban, he was in Kyiv. I didn't know that he will go to Putin or then to China, and you said now to Trump. Yeah, so what the question? Where he will go tomorrow? I don't know.
KELEMEN: Zelenskyy has tried hard on this trip to speak to both Democrats and Republicans. NATO members have done the same, but only Orban has a one-on-one with Trump. Hungarian officials don't hide the fact that they prefer Trump to Joe Biden. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told CNN's Jake Tapper this week that U.S.-Hungarian relations were better under Trump.
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PETER SZIJJARTO: The two leaders, Prime Minister Orban, President Trump enjoy a very good personal relationship, very good friendship. So obviously, from the perspective of experience, when President Trump was in office, it was better for us.
KELEMEN: Orban, a right-wing Populist, has been a darling of Trump's Republican Party. The U.S. ambassador to Hungary, Biden appointee, David Pressman, told the July 4 reception in Budapest that, quote, "no other U.S. ally has so overtly and tirelessly campaigned for a specific candidate in the U.S." Michele Kelemen, NPR News, the State Department. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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