The Brief – Orbán wants his Trump back

This may not be the Donald J. Trump Viktor Orbán signed up for.

After relations between Washington and Budapest hit rock bottom during the Biden administration,  Trump's return promised to mark the dawn of what the Hungarians predicted would be a 'new golden age' of cracking down on illegal migration, defending conservative family values, and bringing a rapid end to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Guess again.

Trump, whether out of opportunism or conviction, now has other plans, threatening Moscow with taxes, tariffs, and more sanctions.

Take Monday's deal to roll over the EU's sanctions regime against Russia. After weeks of stalling and bargaining, Hungary, in the end, removed its veto on the EU's six-month extension.

What changed? The night before the decision, Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó spoke with newly appointed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The next day, Budapest stood down.

A non-binding, non-commital statement, signed by EU's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, and the Commission, acknowledging the country’s concerns about its energy security was enough to lift the veto.

The timing was telling. Did Hungary back down due to US pressure? Did they see the call as an indication of a potential trade-off between Budapest and Washington?

A Facebook post, in which Szijjártó said Rubio had pledged to review "vindictive measures” the Biden administration had imposed on Hungary for undermining democracy, was repeatedly cited as proof.

Russian sanctions were not mentioned in the readout.

Whether Hungary's reversal came down to US pressure or other reasons, upbeat Hungarian-American ties might soon face their first test after the perceived honeymoon.

Washington, which wants Europeans to buy more of its own ‘freedom gas’, won’t be too happy should its ideological allies in Budapest be serious about insisting on continued purchases of Russian LNG.

In other words, Orbán's golden age with Trump may already be over.

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Roundup

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Health – While the newly unveiled EU Competitiveness Compass might spell good news for the pharma industry, health experts and unions warned it is pointing in the wrong direction for public health.

Interview – As an increasingly assertive centre-right EPP group pushes back on environmental rules and cracks down on NGO funding, Euractiv sat down with Spanish Socialist Teresa Ribera, who oversees the Commission's work on a clean transition.

Across Europe

Poland – Poland is pushing for new sources of EU funding, including a digital tax or an entry fee for entering the bloc, to finance major investments, Development Funds and Regional Policy Minister Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz said on Thursday.

Czechia – Czechia has expressed its dissatisfaction with the European Commission’s newly launched strategic dialogue on the automotive industry, citing the exclusion of key players from the region.

Romania – Romanian ex-presidential hopeful Călin Georgescu has called for Romania to reclaim parts of Ukraine after a Russian victory, prompting swift condemnation from both Kyiv and Bucharest.

[MM/MK]