The US State Department on Friday celebrated the good state and “depth” of bilateral relations between the US and Hungary, which “continue to reach new heights” after strengthening their cooperation in key sectors such as nuclear energy, defense and trade, as part of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s visit to the White House.
“Under the leadership of President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, U.S.-Hungary relations continue to reach new heights of cooperation and accomplishments,” said a State Department memo citing “mutual respect for national sovereignty” and “commitment to advancing strategic goals that benefit both countries,” the foundation of the Washington-Budapest alliance.
As a result of the meeting held on Friday between Trump and Orban, a new “energy alliance” emerged between the two countries, which was embodied in the signing of a memorandum of understanding on nuclear energy, a contract – worth about 98.5 million euros – with the American company Westinghouse “for the supply of American nuclear fuel to the Hungarian PAX1 plant,” and Hungary’s commitment to purchase American liquefied natural gas.
In the field of defence, the two leaders focused on building a “more solid security alliance.” To this end, they proposed strengthening relations by renewing agreements such as the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA).
In the same vein, the parties’ desire to deepen civil and commercial space cooperation was expressed, as well as the Hungarian government’s commitment “to acquire defense materials worth $700 million (about 605 million euros) through military sales abroad.”
Among the “major accomplishments” the State Department also highlighted was a cooperation agreement to jointly promote progress in science and innovation that provides for, among other things, enhanced funds and subsidies “to fund bilateral trips, workshops, and collaborative meetings” or an expansion of Fulbright cooperation with “new exchange opportunities for U.S. and Hungarian academics.”
These measures to “quarantine the next generation” will be made possible in large part thanks to new commitments made regarding borders and travel, including the full restoration of Hungary’s participation in the Visa Waiver Program and American Airlines’ resumption of direct seasonal flights between Philadelphia and Budapest starting in May 2026.
These “achievements and opportunities” were announced after President Donald Trump met on Friday at the White House with Viktor Orbán to sign what the Hungarian government described as a “strategic” energy agreement.
Before the meeting, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced on social media that the aim of the meeting was to sign a nuclear cooperation agreement and an agreement under which Hungary would continue to obtain energy “legally and without restrictions” from Russia.
Szijjárto himself reported moments later that the United States had granted Hungary full and unlimited exemption from oil and gas sanctions. “Total sanctions exemption for the TurkStream and Friendship gas pipelines,” Orban explained shortly afterwards, stressing that this decision would allow Hungary “to continue supplying households with the lowest energy prices in Europe.”
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