Hungary’s Orban fuels concerns about a Trump surprise for EU leaders

Viktor Orbán held a phone call with Donald Trump on Thursday, raising concerns among some European Union officials that the Hungarian prime minister could be planning to invite him to an upcoming EU meeting if he votes in next week’s US elections would win.

Orban, who posted on social media that he had spoken to the Republican presidential candidate to wish him good luck ahead of the November 5 elections, could ask him to join EU leaders via video link or recorded message to share when they meet in Budapest next week, according to several EU diplomats.

Such a move is likely to irritate many other EU leaders, the diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The Hungarian prime minister has built a close relationship with Trump, which he will likely try to capitalize on when the former US president returns to the White House. US polls show the race is a flop and it could take days before the results are known.

Budapest will host an informal EU summit on November 8 and a larger meeting of the European Political Community the day before. The bloc’s leaders are expected to discuss the election results at a dinner on November 7.

Some diplomats said rumors of a possible invitation had been circulating in Brussels for some time, reflecting discomfort in several capitals toward Hungary for previously keeping them in the dark.