Le président américain Donald Trump will host Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the White House on Friday for talks focused on Hungary's energy dependence on Russian oil and strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries.
This meeting, the first between the two leaders since Trump's return to power in January, comes amid persistent tensions surrounding Western sanctions against Moscow. Washington hopes to persuade Budapest to reduce its imports of Russian energy, as Hungary remains one of the last European Union countries to maintain a strong dependence on oil and gas from Russia.
Trump, who is urging European allies to cut off Moscow's oil revenues to end the war in Ukraine, is expected to stress the need for Hungary to align its energy policy with that of other NATO members. Orban, for his part, hopes to obtain partial exemptions from US sanctions targeting Russian oil companies.
Before arriving in Washington, the Hungarian prime minister told state media that the talks would be "friendly and frank," adding that he knew "President Trump well" and that they should "reach an agreement."
In addition to energy issues, the White House indicated that the meeting would cover several areas of economic cooperation, including technology investments and defense. A U.S. official stated that "numerous mutually beneficial agreements" could be reached following the visit.
The rapprochement between the two countries has intensified in recent months: in October, the United States reinstated Hungary's participation in their visa waiver program, a move hailed by Budapest as a sign of a "restored" relationship.
However, the pro-Russian and pro-Chinese stance of the Hungarian Prime Minister continues to arouse mistrust among several European partners, while Brussels is pushing for a gradual phase-out of Russian gas and oil by 2027. This meeting in Washington should therefore be closely scrutinized by European chancelleries, anxious to see if Viktor Orban really intends to rebalance his foreign policy between Moscow, Beijing and Washington.
