International

Orbán will meet again with Trump at his Florida residence, after meeting Putin

The Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, will meet this Thursday with former President Donald Trump (2017-2021) in his private club in Mar-a-Lago, in Florida, after the NATO summit in Washington and just a week after the first met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, US media report.

The meeting in Mar-a-Lago, the third they will hold, has not been officially confirmed, but specialized media such as Politico cite unidentified sources that confirm the possible meeting between the two leaders.

Trump has been a strong supporter of Orbán, and the meeting comes after others that the Hungarian leader has held this month, including one with Putin who took many by surprise.

Different NATO countries today expressed their dissagreement about Orbán’s recent trips to Moscow and Beijing, coinciding with the beginning of his country’s presidency in the Council of the European Union, trips in which he has tried to negotiate peace in the war in Ukraine.

During the allied summit that concludes in Washington, Orbán has been seen on different occasions isolated from the informal conversations between the leaders, or also during his participation in the gala dinner offered on Wednesday night at the White House by US President Joe Biden.

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At the meeting last March in Mar-a-Lago, both leaders analyzed the mechanisms to restore peace in Europe and end the war in Ukraine, a military conflict that, according to Orbán in the past, would not have erupted if Trump had followed in the White House.

A few days after assuming the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU on July 1, Orbán, the member of the community club closest to the Kremlin Government, has visited Kiev, Moscow, Beijing and Washington in what he has described as a “peace mission” for the war in Ukraine.

Orbán and Trump have maintained a good relationship for years and the first time they met was in August 2022, at a Republican golf club in the state of New Jersey.

The Hungarian Prime Minister was the only head of government of the European Union who supported Trump in the 2016 and 2020 elections, as well as during the trials initiated against the now Republican presidential candidate last year.

The Republican pre-candidate for the presidential elections is an admirer of Orbán, whom he describes as “the toughest politician in Europe.”

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In turn, the Hungarian Prime Minister criticizes that the trials against Trump apply a “communist method” while he considers the Republican candidate as the only person who can save the West and humanity in general.

On March 1, Orbán said in a forum in Turkey that Trump’s eventual return to power, after the presidential elections next November, is a necessary condition to end the war in Ukraine.

And he pointed out that former President Trump could also have avoided an escalation in the Gaza war, because “without the United States it is impossible to make peace in the Middle East.”

EFE has tried to confirm the alleged meeting with Orbán’s entourage, but has not obtained a response.

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International

U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute

The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.

All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.

The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.

The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.

“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.

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International

Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.

“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.

Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.

According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.

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International

Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power

Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.

The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.

Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.

Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.

The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.

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Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.

Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.

In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.