Szijjártó Reveals Unwavering Loyalty to Orbán, Defends Ties wiht Russia and Trump
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Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó, publicly affirmed his deep personal and political allegiance to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, stating that working with the prime minister is “the essence and meaning of all this for me.” The comments, made Sunday on Mandiner hotel’s Lentulai show, offered a revealing glimpse into Szijjártó’s decades-long relationship with Orbán and his government’s foreign policy priorities.
A Lifelong Aspiration Fulfilled
Szijjártó recounted his first encounter with Orbán in the mid-1990s, when the future prime minister was an opposition politician lecturing at a high school in győr. He claimed to have expressed at that time his desire to work alongside Orbán,a dream realized in 2002 when he entered parliament and later served as Orbán’s spokesperson. “I’ve been living the dream of my youth for 19 years,” Szijjártó said,adding that his loyalty to Orbán is “unquestionable” and he welcomes being labeled an “Orbán clone.” He expressed regret that his current position limits his personal time with the prime minister,stating,”He has never asked me for anything to which it would even have occurred to me to say no.”
The foreign minister addressed potential shifts in international relations, notably concerning a possible change in US leadership. He suggested that a victory for Democrat Kamala Harris in the last US election would not fundamentally alter Hungary’s relationship with the United States, but acknowledged it would likely be less cordial. He characterized the relationship between Orbán and Trump as rooted in mutual loyalty, even when facing pressure to distance themselves from one another.
Regarding relations with Russia, Szijjártó defended the government’s continued engagement with Moscow, asserting that Hungary will “negotiate with someone if it is in our national interest.” He dismissed criticism of Orbán’s dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin, arguing that an “ideologified foreign policy” is counterproductive and that the European Union, not Hungary, has isolated itself.He further claimed that Orbán is uniquely positioned among European leaders to maintain dialogue with the presidents of the United States, China, and Russia.
szijjártó proudly displayed his Russian Medal of Friendship, a gift from the Russian Foreign Minister, and spoke warmly of his personal relationship with Sergey Lavrov, even hosting the Russian Foreign Minister at his home. He justified the award as recognition for his efforts in developing Hungarian-Russian relations for the benefit of Hungarian citizens.
A Personal Look: Associations and Preferences
the interview also included a rapid-fire association segment, revealing szijjártó’s personal views on various Hungarian political figures.He described János Lázár, Antal Rogán, Gergely Gulyás, and Tibor Navracsics as “good friends,” with Navracsics even attending his wedding. He characterized Máté Kocsis as a “fanatic,but I can stand him,” and expressed tolerance for MTK supporter Tamás Deutsch. He admitted to being saddened by the recent controversies surrounding Katalin Novák and Judit Varga and stated he had limited knowledge of László Toroczkai,the leader of Mi Hazánk. He praised Tamás Menczer as his most reliable colleague in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, noting that “What is in his heart is in his mouth.” He described Zsolt Bayer as outspoken and Róbert Puzsér as frivolous, and fondly remembered a past working relationship with Majka.
Beyond politics, Szijjártó showcased his passion for football, naming Ferenc Puskás an “absolute legend” and Cristiano Ronaldo as his modern counterpart. He expressed hope that Pál Dárdai would one day lead the national team,praising Roland Sallai as his favorite current player and Zoltán Gera,Balázs Dzudzsák,and Ádám Szalai as icons. He concluded the show by attempting to draw a portrait of Ferenc Gyurcsány in two minutes.
