Orbán arrives in Washington to discuss Ukraine war with Trump
Viktor Orbán and Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán has traveled to Washington, where he will meet with US President Donald Trump. One of the topics of the talks will be the war in Ukraine, Orbán reported.
As Orbán stated before departure, new perspectives have opened in Hungarian-American relations after President Trump's re-election.
"The first ten months of this year were the first stage when we corrected everything Hungary and Hungarian-American relations suffered under the Biden administration," he said.
According to the Hungarian Prime Minister, his visit to the United States is intended to mark the opening of a "new chapter" in relations between Washington and Budapest.
"Today, we are going to Washington to open a new chapter in Hungarian-American relations with President Trump. Our goal is to develop a strategic partnership that encompasses energy relations, investments, defense cooperation, and consultations on the global landscape following the Russian-Ukrainian war. We are working on an agreement based on mutual benefit and for the good of all Hungarians," Orbán wrote.
US sanctions against Russia
The United States has imposed sanctions on Russia's largest oil companies, increasing pressure on the Kremlin and calling on President Vladimir Putin to engage in genuine peace negotiations. The European Union, in turn, plans to cease all imports of Russian liquefied natural gas by 2027.
Against this backdrop, the head of the White House urged the Hungarian Prime Minister to reduce the country's dependence on Russian oil.
Budapest responded that this is impossible due to geographical and technical constraints, noting that Moscow continues to fulfill its contractual obligations.
Orbán criticized the US sanctions, calling them a mistake, and stated that Hungary is seeking ways to bypass the restrictions imposed on Russian oil companies.
Trump–Orbán meeting
The meeting between Trump and Orbán at the White House is scheduled for November 7.
The media reported that the Hungarian Prime Minister plans to explain to the US President why Budapest must continue to purchase oil and gas from Russia.
Earlier, Trump stated that he refused to exempt Hungary from sanctions on Russian oil, despite Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's request.
