Hungary supports the United States’ efforts to bring about peace in Ukraine, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Monday at a joint press conference in Budapest with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Orbán praised US President Donald Trump, saying he had done more than anyone else in international politics to advance peace in the Russo–Ukrainian war. He added that in his view the conflict would not have broken out had Trump been president at the time.
‘If Donald Trump were not president of the United States today, we would have no chance of closing this war with peace in the foreseeable future,’ Orbán said, expressing Hungary’s respect and gratitude for Washington’s peace initiatives.
The prime minister reiterated that Hungary remains ready to host a potential peace summit in Budapest. He also confirmed to Rubio that President Trump has a standing invitation to visit Hungary.
Orbán described the current period as a ‘golden age’ in relations between the United States and Hungary, speaking after the signing of a bilateral agreement on nuclear energy cooperation. He said relations between the two nations had never been as high-level, balanced and guided by goodwill as they are now.
Since last January, decisions have been made on 17 new US investments in Hungary, a record over the past decade, Orbán noted. He also said Hungarian citizens can once again travel to the United States without a visa, thanking Rubio for the development.
The prime minister added that Hungary has been invited to join a newly established Peace Council, which is set to be formed in Washington this week, and said he would represent Hungary in the body.
In addition to nuclear cooperation, the two countries concluded key agreements in the energy sector covering oil and gas. Orbán said these arrangements, together with the exemption granted to Hungary allowing continued use of Russian oil and gas, would help ensure the country’s energy security and enable it to provide households and industry with comparatively low-cost energy by international standards.
Related articles:
