US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in the Hungarian capital for meetings with Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his government, during which an agreement on civil nuclear cooperation was signed.
Trump has been outspoken in his support for Orban, who is seeking re-election in the April 12 national election. Orban and his Fidesz party are facing their most serious challenge since returning to power in 2010.
The stop in the Hungarian capital followed Rubio's visit to Slovakia on Sunday, after he had previously attended the Munich Security Conference in Germany.
Led by Eurosceptic populists who oppose support for Ukraine and openly support Trump, Slovakia and Hungary represent friendly terrain for Rubio as he tries to strengthen energy deals with the two Central European countries.
Considered the most reliable supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the European Union, Orban has maintained warm relations with the Kremlin despite his war against Ukraine, while cultivating support from Trump and his MAGA movement.
Many in MAGA and the wider conservative world see Hungary as an example of successful conservative nationalism, despite the erosion of its democratic institutions and the fact that it is one of the poorest countries in the EU.
