Trump Officials Back Orbán Bid for UN Secretary-General, WSJ Reports
US officials are reportedly backing the nomination of former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for the post of UN Secretary-General, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. Orbán, who lost power in Hungary's parliamentary election in April, has maintained close ties with Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Trump administration is said to be advocating for Orbán's candidacy, potentially backed by the US, Russia, and China, although no final decision has been taken on the plan.
The aim is for Orbán to be the joint candidate of the three countries, with officials from the US and another country stating that if the US, Russia, and China want the same thing in the UN Security Council, they usually achieve it. However, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Alimov has denied the nomination, stating that permanent members of the UN Security Council cannot nominate a candidate for the position of UN Secretary-General.
Orbán's selection remains uncertain, as a candidate must secure the support of at least nine of the 15 Security Council members, while any of the five permanent members can veto the nomination. Two European governments have already spoken out against the idea of putting forward Orbán as a potential candidate, with Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stating that he does not foresee Poland supporting Orbán's candidacy.
