But the mere suggestion of staging an attempt on Orban’s life underscores how high the stakes are for Moscow in the Hungarian race. Some Western officials say the Kremlin is intent on preserving Orban, who has assisted Moscow in hampering key E.U. policies and acted as a bridge for the Kremlin to U.S. conservatives in hopes of forging a new post-liberal world order. With each side accusing the other of manipulation and smear campaigns, and polls tightening, the election is on a knife’s edge. meetings to provide his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, with “live reports on what’s been discussed” and possible solutions, one of the European security officials said.

Source: Washington Post March 21, 2026 12:01 UTC