Hungary’s Orban says Trump was attacked for his ‘anti-war views’

BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday that former U.S. President Donald Trump and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico were both attacked for their “anti-war views.”

Fico was hit by four bullets in an assassination attempt in mid-May, while Trump, the Republican Party’s candidate for the November presidential election, survived a shooting on July 13.

Both are allies of Orban, a right-wing nationalist who has been in power since 2010.

“All these attacks are directed against politicians who are against war and for peace,” Orban said in an interview with state radio station Kossuth.

“The pro-war forces are so agitated, tense, supported and organized that they are trying to drive the pro-peace forces off the stage, from the center of political life.”

The Hungarian prime minister, who went on a self-proclaimed “peace mission” to Ukraine earlier this month and met with Trump, said the former president survived the attack because “God has plans for him” to advance peace.

Orban’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Hungary viewed a possible second term for Trump as an “opportunity for peace” in Ukraine.

Orban said he spoke with Trump for two hours during their July 11 meeting in Florida. Friday’s interview was the first time Orban spoke at length about the meeting.

He said they discussed a variety of issues, including economic ones, and his team was assisting Trump’s staff in policy-making.

“We have a very good relationship with those who work behind the president to develop his economic and foreign policy agenda,” Orban said.

“I could say that we participate in the agenda-setting process. There are some issues, such as family policy and curbing migration, where we enjoy a high reputation.”

(Reporting by Anita Komuves; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)