Hungary’s foreign minister summoned US Ambassador David Pressman to protest over remarks by President Joe Biden at a campaign stop that Prime Minister Viktor Orban was seeking a dictatorship.

Last week, the Hungarian leader was invited by former president and Republican candidate Donald Trump to his Mar-a-Lago estate, at which he expressed support for his victory in the upcoming November presidential election. The Hungarian delegation did not meet anyone from the Biden administration during the three-day visit to the US.

During a campaign meeting on Friday, Biden questioned the meeting, stating: "Do you know who he's meeting today at Mar-a-Lago? Orban from Hungary, who flatly stated that he doesn't think democracy works and is seeking [to establish] a dictatorship."

Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto described Biden's statement as a "very serious insult" that "heavily impacts our bilateral relations", and said that Hungary would not accept such lies, even if they came from the US president.

This way of thinking by the president and the Democratic administration is a heavy burden on our bilateral relationship, he noted.

In response, the US Embassy spokesperson said: "Ambassador [David] Pressman always welcomes the opportunity to discuss the state of Hungary’s democracy with our ally."

Orban was the first EU leader to endorse Donald Trump in 2016 and four years ago he said Hungary had no plan should the then incumbent lose.

The radical rightwing leader has been isolated within the EU and the delay in ratifying Sweden’s bid to join Nato has also angered Nato allies and furthered strained what had already been  frosty ties with Washington.

Orban praised Trump as the only presidential election candidate who could end the war in Ukraine. In a television interview, Orban said in the event of his re-election, Trump would not "pay a penny" more for Ukraine. “If the Americans don’t give money, the Europeans alone are unable to finance this war. And then the war is over,” he said. Trump himself has yet to comment on this claim that he would end the conflict by forcing a Ukrainian surrender.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz asserted on Tuesday that a reduction in military aid for Ukraine is not the right course. "We must continue to support Ukraine, not only Germany but the entire European Union, as long as necessary for Ukraine to defend itself."