France, April 7 -- Vance was in the Hungarian capital to deliver a message of support from US President Donald Trump to his ally Orban, hailing the Hungarian prime minister as a "model" for Europe.

At a press conference he held in Budapest on Tuesday, Vance accused European Union "bureaucrats" of "one of the worst examples of foreign election interference" he had ever seen, before adding he was "here to help [Orban] in this election campaign".

The visit comes ahead of Sunday, 12 April's tightly contested parliamentary elections, in which Orban is facing an unprecedented challenge to his 16-year rule.

Vance was greeted by Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, before heading to Orban's office in the Carmelite Monastery ov...