US VICE-PRESIDENT JD Vance began a two-day visit to the Hungarian capital Budapest today, saying that he was “here to help” far-right Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s bid for re-election on Sunday.

Mr Orban, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, is far behind in the polls as he seeks a fifth term of office.

He and his Fidesz party are facing their toughest challenge in two decades from the centre-right Tisza party led by Peter Magyar, which could spell an end to the prime minister’s 16 years in power.

Speaking at a joint news conference with Mr Orban at his headquarters in Budapest’s Carmelite Monastery, Mr Vance said he wanted to “help as much as I possibly can” ahead of Sunday’s election.

Mr Orban has attacked other European Union leaders who have expressed support for his opponent as a grave breach of Hungary’s sovereignty and meddling in the election.

Similarly ignoring the inconsistency of his stance, Mr Vance lashed out at the EU for what he said was “one of the worst examples of foreign election interference that I’ve ever seen or ever even read about.

“I won’t tell the people of Hungary how to vote. I would encourage the bureaucrats in Brussels to do the exact same thing,” he said.

Long accused by critics of taking over Hungary’s institutions, curbing press freedom and overseeing entrenched political corruption, Mr Orban has become an icon of the global far right.

Mr Trump has repeatedly endorsed his candidacy and many in the Make America Great Again movement approve of the Hungarian leader’s opposition to immigration, curtailing of LGBT rights and capture of the media and academia.

Hungary, which has broken with most EU countries by refusing provide Ukraine with financial assistance or weapons to fight Russia, has remained firmly committed to purchasing Russian energy despite EU efforts to forego such supplies.