BUDAPEST: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban will meet former US President Donald Trump on March 8 in Florida, Orban’s press chief told Hungarian state news agency MTI late on Sunday.

Last month nationalist Orban endorsed Trump’s bid to return to the US presidency this year.

“We hope the current president will go, and President Trump will return and he will have free hands to make peace (in Ukraine),” Orban said on Feb. 23.

Orban has refused to send weapons to Ukraine to help it fight off Russia’s invasion, and has criticised Western sanctions against Russia.

He has repeatedly urged a ceasefire in Ukraine to end the war.

The Hungarian premier, in power since 2010, has faced tensions with with President Joe Biden’s administration, mainly over Budapest’s foot-dragging concerning the ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership.

After a long delay, Hungarian parliament last week approved Sweden’s NATO bid, and now the legislation only waits a final sign off by the Hungarian President this week.

Hungary under pressure to ratify Sweden’s NATO bid after EU deal

Orban has said the next US presidential election this year and the vote for the European Parliament in June would be crucial as conservatives in Europe and the US must fight together to “reconquer” institutions in Washington and Brussels from liberals who - as Orban said - threaten Western civilisation.