Peace, Economy, Energy Are Key Points in Orban-Trump Talks + Video

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban will be in Washington on November 7 for bilateral talks with U.S. President Donald Trump. The meeting will focus on opportunities to end the war in Ukraine and to prepare a major Hungarian–American economic and energy cooperation package. The leaders are also expected to discuss the future of Russian energy supplies, the potential peace summit in Budapest, and the deepening of economic ties. The Washington meeting marks another milestone in what officials are calling the “golden age” of Hungarian–American relations.

Viktor Orban and Donald Trump (Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI /AFP)

According to the Prime Minister’s political director, Balazs Orban, who spoke in a video statement, the most important issue on the agenda will be the war in Ukraine, along with questions concerning defense, trade, and energy cooperation between Hungary and the United States.

Viktor Orban and Donald Trump hold talks in Washington on Friday (Photo: ZOLTAN FISCHER / HUNGARIAN PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE)

Balazs Orban emphasized in a video posted on his social media page: "The most important issue will be the Russian-Ukrainian war, and issues related to all economic, military, and energy cooperation between Hungary and the United States will also be on the agenda, including the use of Russian energy sources."
Regarding the war, the PM's political director said,

 We believe that the United States is indeed acting as a neutral external player in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and is working to bring this conflict to an end. One possible element of this is the peace summit planned for Budapest.

Balazs Orban added, “The other side of this is issue is the use of Russian energy," emphasizing that for Hungary, this is “not an ideological matter but a question of geopolitical reality.” He explained that Hungary, as a landlocked  country and limited by pipeline capacity, must pursue pragmatic solutions. The politician noted that the American side “understands Hungary’s position fully,” making this meeting especially timely.

Hungary is in a fortunate position,” he said, “because few neighboring countries’ leaders have the opportunity for such high-level talks with the U.S.

The meeting is therefore not only important for bilateral relations but also for the broader international peace process. As Prime Minister Orban has repeatedly stressed, Hungary’s primary goal is peace, not the continuation of war.

Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said the tomorrow's meeting between Viktor Orban and Donald Trump “will be another high point in Hungarian–American relations,” with two key items on the agenda: finding a path to peace in Ukraine and preparing a comprehensive economic and energy cooperation package.

He recalled that “one year ago, on November 5, 2024, Donald Trump won a decisive victory in the U.S. presidential election and took office on January 20, marking the beginning of a golden era in Hungarian–American relations.” Szijjarto said this represented a “massive shift” from the previous Biden administration, which, in his words, made politically motivated decisions that unfairly targeted Hungary.

“Since President Trump took office, everything has changed — hostility has been replaced by friendship,” the Foreign Minister said, adding:

“The U.S. President considers Prime Minister Orban a personal friend, and we already see the results: political sanctions have been lifted, the Paks nuclear power plant expansion has resumed, Hungary is once again included in the Visa Waiver Program, and nine major U.S. investments worth nearly 100 billion forints have already been launched this year.

Peter Szijjarto announced that the Prime Minister’s delegation will depart on Thursday aboard a Wizz Air flight, and will stay at the Blair House, the official state guesthouse located next to the White House — which he described as “a clear sign of the U.S. government’s special respect and friendship.” He also noted that Prime Minister Viktor Orban will be accompanied by several senior ministers — including the heads of the National Economy, Energy, Defense, Innovation, and Construction portfolios — as well as CEOs of major Hungarian companies and research institutions.

Foreign Affairs Minister Szijjarto emphasized that the possibility of achieving peace in Ukraine will be a central topic of the talks, and confirmed that Hungary is prepared to host a future peace summit, provided that U.S.–Russian preparatory negotiations produce tangible progress.

“Budapest could serve as an ideal venue for an agreement that finally brings peace back to Central Europe,” he said.

The second key agenda item will be a major economic and energy cooperation agreement, which the Hungarian side has been developing for several months.

Szijjarto explained that a key step in the preparation was his recent meeting in Washington with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, adding that the proposed package is intended to “strengthen Hungary’s long-term energy security, attract new, modern, job-creating investments from the United States, and provide a stable financial framework for future cooperation.”

The Foreign Minister concluded that Friday’s talks in Washington could prove pivotal not only for U.S.–Hungarian relations but also for global peace efforts, since, as he put it, “two of the most prominent leaders in the world's pro-peace majority will be meeting.”

Cover photo: Viktor Orban and Donald Trump (Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI /AFP)