I guess just title? I don’t understand this move, Orban is notorious for being buddies with Putin so why would he accept the USA’s support? Opportunism or? Also by “attacking Brussels” I meant that Vance was saying they were meddling with the Hungarian elections.
Vance dislikes the EU intensely. The EU hates Orban. Vance favors US disengagement from the debacle in Ukraine. Orban is one of very few European voices for peace in Ukraine. Orban is a conservative with views on immigration and other social issues very close to those of MAGA.
I’m not sure I would call Orban “buddies with Putin”. He isn’t afflicted with Putin Derangement Syndrome like most of the rest of the European elites are, but he is no Russophile. He is more an opportunistic pragmatist like Turkey’s Erdogan.
He didn’t really do much to oppose the EU’s anti-Russia policies and always signed off on sanctions until it became clear that there was no chance of defeating Russia and the EU’s obsession with Ukraine was only hurting European economies.
I’d say it goes beyond Vance personally. The US generally dislikes the EU since it’s much easier to negotiate with individual countries from a position of absolute power. While the EU inevitably does bend over for the US on every issue, they always go through a bit of drama first. The stage we’re at now, is where the US would just like to burn Europe down so it can’t become integrated with China economically, and then scrap whatever is left for parts by poaching remaining industry. EU kind of stands in the way of that.
It’s also a well-beloved liberal “woke” institution.
certainly helps sell the narrative of it being the enemy to maga
Yes, I’d say the US would prefer a balkanized Europe than one big united block. The EU still has a some margin of negotiation regarding US demands. Without the EU, the US would be able to do whatever it pleases.
Rare JDPON Vance W.
Does he play to both sides and then lose on both continuously, though?