Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is due to host dozens of European leaders in Budapest later this week as relations with fellow partners have become increasingly strained. The nationalist leader -- a big fan of Donald Trump -- has faced backlash for his country's norm-defying EU presidency, which saw him jetting to Moscow right after taking over the six-month stint in July. Orban's frequent attacks on Brussels and fellow leaders have also left him isolated.
Hungary will host the European Political Community (EPC) summit on Thursday, followed by an informal EU leaders' meeting on Friday. The European gatherings will take place in Budapest's Puskas arena -- a football stadium named after legendary Hungarian-Spanish player Ferenc Puskas -- reflecting Orban's avid passion for the sport. But the US presidential election is likely to overshadow the official agenda.
With Trump leading the Democratic vice-president Kamala Harris as counting continued early Wednesday, his victory would give Orban a "clear advantage" at the upcoming meetings, Lukas Macek, an analyst from the Jacques Delors Institute told AFP. But in case Harris wins, "Orban will have to manage the situation after having bet so much on Trump, which risks weakening him, even domestically," the expert added. Orban -- the only EU leader to maintain close ties with the Kremlin after Russia's invasion of Ukraine -- is banking on his "dear friend" Trump to emerge victorious.
Hungary has vowed to use its presidency to pus.