In a statement sent to Hungary's state news agency (MTI), State Secretary Levente Magyar emphasized that Louis Bono, a close associate of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, had come straight from the negotiation site in Saudi Arabia's Riyadh, making the Hungarian government the first in Europe to be briefed on the discussions that took place.
According to Mr. Bono, while no concrete commitments were made at the Riyadh meeting, the mere fact that the negotiations took place and that the parties agreed on a common goal - peace in Ukraine - was a significant step forward,
– Mr. Magyar reported. He added that both the American and Russian sides had agreed to continue the dialogue and also discussed the need to restore political and economic relations between the United States and Russia.
Mr. Bono confirmed that the Trump administration views Hungary as a key international partner and particularly counts on Hungary in promoting dialogue between Washington and Brussels,
– State Secretary Magyar pointed out. He noted that during their meeting, he and Mr. Bono agreed that strengthening Europe’s military defense capabilities is a shared American-Hungarian interest, as Europe will not be able to rely on Washington for its security to the same extent as it has in the past. He added that bilateral issues were also discussed, and the dialogue on these matters will continue in the future.
Cover photo: Levente Magyar, parliamentary state secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in his office after holding discussions with U.S. Under Secretary of State Louis Bono in Budapest on February 19, 2025 (Photo: MTI / KKM / Zoltan Urbaniczki)
