Budapest, Feb. 16, 2026
United States (U.S.) Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, is meeting Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, in Budapest today, Monday.
According to the U.S. Department of State, Rubio’s brief visit is to focus on strengthening the energy partnership between the two countries.
Hungary currently sources almost all of its natural gas from Russia, and Washington is pushing for Budapest to purchase U.S. liquefied natural gas on a large scale in the future.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in advance that the talks would also address efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, speaking to Hungarian state radio.
He added that bilateral relations with the U.S. are experiencing a “golden age” since U.S. President Donald Trump took office.
Szijjártó said Washington had allowed Hungary to continue importing Russian oil in spite of sanctions and had exempted planned Russian investment in the nuclear power plant in Paks from sanctions.
Orbán and his government have maintained close relations with the Kremlin and with Trump for years.
