According to Péter Szijjártó, "indeed, no agreement was reached on $20 billion" at the recent meeting between Viktor Orbán and Donald Trump in Washington, but they did agree to begin discussions on a new type of financial cooperation that could provide financial protection for Hungary.
This was the reaction of the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade to Donald Trump's statement to Politico, in which he claimed that he had not promised Viktor Orbán a financial lifeline. In the interview, the US president said the following about the "financial shield" that the Hungarian government had previously presented as a huge achievement:
“No, I didn't promise him, but he certainly asked for it.”
When asked whether he would provide a financial rescue package to Hungary should the need arise, Trump began to praise Orbán's policies, saying that he had "done a very good job" in stopping migration and “not letting anyone into his country.”
"Now they've really found something," Szijjártó wrote in a post, adding: “I have to cool down the sudden enthusiasm that has spread all the way to Moscow. I was there at the meeting between Donald Trump and Viktor Orbán, where indeed, there was no agreement reached on any $20 billion, but no one claimed otherwise. However, they did discuss starting negotiations on a new type of financial cooperation, its potential forms, and a mechanism that could provide financial protection.”
"Otherwise, we thank the President for his words of appreciation about Viktor Orbán, and we hope that the enthusiastic media will quote those as well, just as they quote Donald Trump's comments about mainstream European politicians," the Foreign Minister, who is currently in Moscow for talks wrote, concluding his post.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and several members of his government traveled to Washington in early November, where Donald Trump gave the Hungarian delegation a warm welcome. After the meeting, aboard the Wizz Air aircraft on his way home, the Prime Minister announced that America had promised Hungary a "financial shield" against “speculative attacks.”
Orbán spoke in the past tense and used the indicative when saying: “Since there are also opponents on the field, and we haven't mentioned this yet, yesterday I also signed an agreement with the American president on a financial shield.”
“The thing is, that if there were any kind of external attack on Hungary, on its financial system, then the Americans have given their word that in such a case they would protect Hungary's financial stability. This is a very important thing! And in the event that Hungary were to suffer such an external attack, let's say for speculative or political purposes, we can count on an American financial shield of protection, and that is how I have calculated for the future. Good morning, Brussels!”
"Certain Brusselian tools that have been used against Hungary can now be regarded as blunt. This means that the fact that we have a financial protective shield eliminates quite a few of Brussels' plans against us. It's not even worth giving it any thought. The idea that the Hungarian currency can be attacked, that the Hungarian budget can be put in a difficult position, that the Hungarian economy can be strangled from the financing side can be forgotten. That is over with. We have resolved this with the Americans, not in opposition to Brussels, but independently of them. But we will still have to fight our internal battles in Brussels, such as the issue of Brussels' energy sanctions, for example. However, I will be in a much better position at the next Brussels summit than I was a month ago. It makes a difference," Orbán said in response to questions from Magyar Nemzet and Hír TV.
Minister of Construction and Transport János Lázár later echoed the Prime Minister's words, posting on Facebook that "in the event of speculation or political attacks, we can count on an American financial shield." Later, Orbán spoke on public radio about having made a currency exchange agreement, a so-called "swap line," with the Americans.
For more quick, accurate and impartial news from and about Hungary, subscribe to the Telex English newsletter!