US Vice President Jay D. Vance made a series of bold statements during a joint press conference with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Budapest on April 7, referring to “recent reports from US intelligence.” In particular, he suggested the possibility of Ukraine interfering in US elections, noting that Kyiv “may have assisted the Democrats.”
This is reported by Finway
“It has also become known that Ukrainian intelligence considers Hungary as an operational zone. What political motivation could be behind Ukraine’s attacks on conservative patriotic political forces both in the United States and in Hungary?” Vance asked.
Statements on election interference and energy policy
Vance clarified that “there are elements within Ukrainian intelligence services that have attempted to influence American elections, as well as Hungarian elections,” emphasizing that “there are good people and there are bad ones.” According to him, “there are people trying to interfere in the elections of others. And there are people who are actually just saying: you know what, we believe in sovereignty for all, and that is what we support,” the US Vice President added.
He also stated that he finds the accusations of pro-Russian positions against the current US president unfounded, stressing that the Trump administration did more for Europe’s energy security than anyone else. According to Vance, US liquefied natural gas supplies are helping to weaken Russia’s position in the European energy market and ensuring energy independence for allies in the event of potential conflicts.
Reactions from Kyiv and Orbán’s position
President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly emphasized that Ukraine did not interfere and has no intention of interfering in the electoral processes in the US. Ukrainian officials stress the importance of maintaining bipartisan support from Washington. During the 2024 election campaign, some representatives of the Republican Party viewed visits by Ukrainian officials to the US as potential interference; however, experts consider these statements part of standard political rhetoric.
US Vice President Jay D. Vance arrived in Hungary to express support for President Donald Trump’s administration to his ally Viktor Orbán ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for April 12. Donald Trump had previously declared “full support” for the Hungarian Prime Minister.
Viktor Orbán, who positions himself as a supporter of the US president, has recently clashed with EU leadership and most European Union countries. Hungary blocked a loan of 90 billion euros to Ukraine and did not agree to the implementation of another package of sanctions against Russia. This has drawn criticism from Ukrainian authorities and European politicians, who accuse Orbán of having a pro-Russian stance.
The parliamentary elections in Hungary are scheduled for April 12. There are currently no definitive predictions regarding the results, although public opinion polls give a slight edge to the opposition compared to Viktor Orbán’s party.