US vice-president JD Vance said he was “sad Orbán lost” after Viktor Orbán’s defeat in Hungary, but added that the United States would work with the country’s new government.
His comments were the first he has made since Orbán’s loss, and came as he defended his pre-election visit to Hungary. Vance also used the occasion to deliver fresh criticism of the European Union.
The remarks mark an early indication of how Washington may approach the political change in Budapest after Orbán’s departure from office. Vance’s comments suggest the US intends to maintain working relations with whoever forms the next Hungarian government, even as he made clear his personal disappointment over the result.
Ukraine talks continue in Berlin
Separately, Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Berlin today for talks with Friedrich Merz, as well as discussions between the two governments. Zelenskyy has just arrived in central Berlin in the last half hour, and both leaders are expected to speak later today.
The Berlin meetings come as European diplomacy remains focused on Ukraine and wider questions about the continent’s security and political direction. Further details from the talks are expected later in the day.
